1. Chapter 10
Reference Groups and
Family References
Consumer Behavior,
Ninth Edition
Schiffman & Kanuk
Copyright 2007 by Prentice Hall

2. Chapter Outline
• What Is a Group?
• Categories of Reference Groups
• Selected Consumer-Related Reference
Groups
• Reference Group Appeals
• The Changing U.S. Family
• Consumer Socialization
• Family Decision Making
• The Family Life Cycle
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3. What Is a Group?
• Two or more people who interact to
accomplish either individual or mutual
goals
• A membership group is one to which a
person either belongs or would qualify for
membership
• A symbolic group is one in which an
individual is not likely to receive
membership despite acting like a member
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4. A person or group
that serves as a point
of comparison (or
reference) for an
Reference
individual in the
Group
formation of either
general or specific
values, attitudes, or
behavior.
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5. Broad Categories of
Reference Groups
• Normative
Reference Groups
• Comparative
Reference Groups
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6. Individuals or groups
with whom a person
identifies but does not
Indirect
have direct face-to-face
Reference
contact, such as movie
Groups
stars, sports heroes,
political leaders, or TV
personalities.
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7. Teens are
very
influenced
by indirect
reference
groups.
weblink
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8. Discussion Question
• You are marketing a new fragrance for
young men (ages 17-22). Who would
make a good spokesperson? Why?
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9. Major Consumer Reference
Groups - Figure 10.1
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10. Table 10.1 Positive Influences
on Conformity
Group Characteristics Personal Characteristics
• Attractiveness • Tendency to Conform
• Expertise • Need for Affiliation
• Credibility • Need to be Liked
• Past Success • Desire for Control
• Clarity of Group • Fear of Negative
Goals Evaluation
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11. Factors Encouraging Conformity:
A Reference Group Must ...
• Inform or make the individual aware of a specific
product or brand
• Provide the individual with the opportunity to
compare his or her own thinking with the
attitudes and behavior of the group
• Influence the individual to adopt attitudes and
behavior that are consistent with the norms of
the group
• Legitimize the decision to use the same
products as the group
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12. Discussion Question
• Who are your reference groups?
• How do they influence different types of
purchases? When do certain groups have
the most influence?
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13. This ad
compares the
product to a
reference
group.

14. Selected Consumer-Related
Reference Groups
• Friendship groups
• Shopping groups
• Work groups
• Virtual groups or communities
• Consumer-action groups
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15. Selected Consumer-Related
Reference Groups
The Internet
has created
many
friendship and
shopping
groups.
weblink
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16. Brand Communities
• Saturn car owners who meet for reunions
and barbecues
• Saab owners
• Harley-Davidson Owner Groups
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17. Brand Communities
Since Honda
cannot compete on
brand community,
they choose to
emphasize the
family.

18. Brand Communities
weblink
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19. Reference Group Appeals
• Celebrities
• The expert
• The “common man”
• The executive and employee
spokesperson
• Trade or spokes-characters
• Other reference group appeals
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20. The
common
“wo”men

21. Importance of Celebrity Characteristics
According to Product Types
Figure 10-4
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22. Households
Family Households:
Married couple,
Nuclear family,
Extended family
Households
Nonfamily Households:
Unmarried couples,
Friends/ Roommates,
Boarders
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23. The Changing U.S. Family
• Increase in childless women
• More working mothers
• Changes in household spending patterns
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24. Evidence of the Dynamic Nature
of U.S. Households - Figure 10-7
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25. The process by which
children acquire the
Consumer
skills, knowledge, and
Socialization
attitudes necessary to
function as consumers.
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26. Discussion Question
• How do marketers influence consumer
socialization?
• Does this seem unethical? At what point
would it be unethical?
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27. A Simple Model of the
Socialization Process - Figure 10.11
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28. Other Functions of the Family
• Economic well-being
• Emotional support
• Suitable family lifestyles
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29. Table 10.7 Eight Roles in the Family
Decision-Making Process
ROLE DESCRIPTION
Influencers Family member(s) who provide information to other members about a
product or service
Gatekeepers Family member(s) who control the flow of information about a
product or service into the family
Deciders Family member(s) with the power to determine unilaterally or jointly
whether to shop for, purchase, use, consume, or dispose of a specific
product or service
Buyers Family member(s) who make the actual purchase of a particular
product or service
Preparers Family member(s) who transform the product into a form suitable for
consumption by other family members
Users Family member(s) who use or consume a particular product or service
Maintainers Family member(s) who service or repair the product so that it will
provide continued satisfaction.
Disposers Family member(s) who initiate or carry out the disposal or
discontinuation of a particular product or service
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30. Dynamics of Husband-Wife
Decision Making
• Husband-Dominated
• Wife-Dominated
• Joint
– Equal
– Syncratic
• Autonomic
– Solitary
– Unilateral
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31. Expanding Role of Children In
Family Decision Making
• Choosing restaurants and items in
supermarkets
• Teen Internet mavens
• Pester power
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32. The Family Life Cycle
• Traditional Family Life Cycle
– Stage I: Bachelorhood
– Stage II: Honeymooners
– Stage III: Parenthood
– Stage IV: Postparenthood
– Stage V: Dissolution
• Modifications - the Nontraditional FLC
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33. Targeting the
parenthood
segment