CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHAPTER -2
What is Motivation ?
Motivation is the driving
force within individuals that impels them to action. This driving force is
produced by a state of tension which exists as the result of an unfulfilled
need. This force may work Consciously or Subconsciously.
MODEL OF MOTIVATION PROCESS :
TYPES OF MOTIVATION : Four Types : CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHAPTER -2
> POSITIVE MOTIVATION
When we feel a driving force toward some object or condition.
Positive motivation ends in positive GOAL. Ex : To fulfill a hunger, we go to restaurant.
>NEGETIVE MOTIVATION
When we feel a driving force away some object or condition. Positive
motivation ends in negative GOAL. Ex : We refrain from buying a
motor cycle for fulfilling safety needs.
>RATIONAL MOTIVES
When reacting to drive, we
carefully consider alternatives and choose those that give us the greatest
utility. Ex : Buying a car on the basis of price, brand,
parts availability, fuel consumption per mile etc
> EMOTIONAL MOTIVES
Imply the selection of goals
according to personal or subjective criteria ( e.g. desire for individuality,
fear, pride, affection, status etc.). Ex :
Buying a car for a safe transportation of the children to and from
schools.
DYNAMIC NATURE
OF MOTIVATION :
(Relation between Need and
Goal)
NEEDS
GOALS
Needs are unlimited, so as
the Goals. It creates for the marketers an unlimited opportunity for millions
of different types of products and services.
Special characteristics of
Need :
- Needs are never fully satisfied : From second-hand car to reconditioned car; from reconditioned car to brand new car. It means that :
- New and higher-order Needs emerge as Old Needs are satisfied
Success and Failure Influence of Need on Goal :
Successful fulfillment of
Need :
New Needs > Raising Levels of Aspirations
Failure of fulfillment of
Need : * Lowering
down Levels of Aspiration
If a person becomes
Frustrated, what mechanisms he does he
take to diffuse it :
DEFENSE
MECHANISM : Some
frustrated people sometimes mentally redefine their frustrating
situation in order to protect their self-image and defend their
self-esteem. Defense mechanism may be Aggressive or Rational.
Example :
- Aggressive DM
: Most of the people who
break and burn the cars and buses on some hartal day can not afford buying
a car.
- Rational DM
: If can not afford going to
Beside Aggressive and
Rational Defense Mechanism, there may be some other forms too :
- REGRESSION : reacting to frustration with
childish or immature behavior. When somebody can’t afford buying a product, he or she damages the product or
misplace it
- WITHDRAWAL
: frustration may be
resolved by simply withdrawing from the situation. A person who has
difficulty achieving officer status in some organization may simply quit
the organization.
- PROJECTION :
redefining the frustrating situation by projecting blame for his
own failure on other people or object. The driver who has a car accident
may blame the other driver or the condition of the road, weather, or other
things.
- AUTISM :
autism or autistic thinking is simply “day dreaming”. Such day
dreaming enables the individual to attain imaginary gratification of
unfulfilled needs. The ad for flats of many builders goes like “ Own flat
for the middle income groups at 20,000 taka per month with 5 lakh taka as
down payment”.
- IDENTIFICATION
: sometime people resolve
their feelings of frustration by subconsciously identifying with other person or situation they consider
relevant. Example : It is not possible to have time with the
stars, so as they are using the soap in the ad, therefore his/her fan also
use it.
- REPRESSION
: another way of avoiding
tension of frustration is simply to repress the unfulfilled needs. A
couple who can not have children may surround themselves with plants or pets.
Application of Defense
Mechanism concept in Marketing :
Marketers have long
recognized the importance of DM in marketing and often use it as the basis of
ad appeal. That is why Slice-of life commercials are so popular. Such ads
portray a situation in which an individual experiences a frustration and then
overcomes the problem. If the viewer can identify with the frustrating
situation, he or she may very likely adopt the Slice-of-life solutions and buy
the product or service ( Ex : Ad of dandruff free shampoo, Tooth paste, savlon,
corrugated tin sheets, washing powder, TV, fair complexion creams etc.)
Once the buyer buys the
product with the hope that it will remove his frustration, surprisingly enough,
the product really works. This is some
sort of psychological exploitation by the marketers on the buyers. But if the
product does not satisfy the needs, then the buyer may go for adopting
Aggressive, withdrawal, Projection, or Repression Defense Mechanism.
AROUSAL OF MOTIVES
:
Needs are dormant much of the
time. In order to stir up the needs, some stimuli are needed.
These are :
1.
Physiological Arousal : Bodily needs are rooted in physiological condition at
a particular moment. A drop in blood sugar level or contraction of stomach will
trigger feeling of hunger.
2.
Emotional Arousal
: Some times day dreaming or autistic thinking
results in stimulating latent needs. Ex :
If you buy a pack of this tissue paper, one taka will go as donation to
the Blood Bank.
3.
Cognitive Arousal
: Random thoughts or personal achievements may
lead to a cognitive awareness of needs. We recognize something and feel the
need. Ex : buying a candy
floss.
4.
Environmental Arousal
: Sometimes specific cues in the environment
stimulates needs.
DISCUSSION OF MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS :
- PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS : First and most basic needs.
- SAFETY NEEDS
: After physiological needs,
safety and security needs become the driving force behind
individual’s behavior. Certainty,
continuity, stability, order, etc. of physiological needs are safety
needs. Ex: we like to have food not
one time, rather everyday far into the future.
Savings accounts, insurance policies,
education, and even the personal defense products like licensed fire arms, pepper spray, security agency’s service etc. all are safety needs. Now a days cars have also become
predominantly a safety need.
- SOCIAL NEEDS
: Includes needs as love,
affection, belonging, acceptance. These are all social motives. Because of
the importance of social motives in our society, advertisers of personal
care products often emphasize this appeal in their ads.
- EGOISTIC NEEDS
: After social needs,
egoistic needs become active. Egoistic needs may be :
Inward :
self-esteem, self-acceptance etc
Outward : prestige,
reputation, status, recognition etc.
5. SELF-ACTUALIZATION : This
need refers to an individual’s desire to
fulfill his or her potential -- to
become everything he or she is capable of becoming. Self-actualization is a
“destination”. This destination may vary from person to person. “Destination is
not a finite place. Rather a compass by which we judge how far we have
come.”
APPLICATION OF MASLOW’S HIRARCHY OF NEED :
It
has many criticisms. But still it is the basic model which gives us a direction
in terms of identifying and selecting market segments, positioning and
repositioning the products and services.
(Examples
: Car ad “ Impress your friends” – is a status appeal i.e. ego need. “You deserve the very best” – self
actualizing appeal. “Safe for your
family” -- safety need.)
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