Reference groups are similar to opinion leaders in that they can have a profound influence on consumer behavior. Reference groups immediate family members relatives role in the society status in the society reference groups. A reference group refers to a group of people you refer to, while making buying decisions. Despite the above tendency, however, i have chosen the examination of the role of reference group influence in consumer behaviour as the topic of my dissertation. Of the reference groups, the immediate family influenced consumers most in their. At the personal level, consumer behavior is influenced by various shades of likes, dislikes, priorities, morals and values. The degree of reference group influence varies across product and brands with factors such as 1 the visibility to the group, 2 the necessitynonnecessity nature. Pdf the role of reference group on consumer purchasing.
Influence of reference groups on consumer behaviour 79,371 views. Informal primary groups include family and peer groups. Every individual has some people around who influence himher in any way. The term consumer buying refers to the process of selecting, buying and consuming products for the satisfaction of a customer s wants. Consumer behaviour jane priest is a teaching fellow at edinburgh business school and teaches parts of the oncampus marketing course, as well as the consumer behaviour elective by distance learning. For example if the product is visible such as dress, shoes, car etc then the influence of reference groups will be high. Reference group group of people which includes individuals or groups that influence our opinions, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. Reference groups are people in a consumers microsocial environment who are salient or relevant for the consumer. Factors that affect reference group influence vikram ram. The influence of reference groups on consumer behaviour is felt through the influence of social power. Existing literature demonstrates that reference groups have significant influence on consumers purchasing behaviour.
Reference groups in consumer buying role of reference groups. Formal groups are highly defined in structure, interact frequently, such a school. Consumer perceptions of reference group influence on product and brand decisions were examined using 645 members of a consumer panel and 151 respondents in a followup study. Reference groups in consumer buying hints that as a consumer, your decision to purchase and use certain products is influenced by reference also. Social groups and consumer behaviour marketing essay. How reference groups exert influence on consumer behavior. Primary groups are intimate, facetoface such as family and peer groups. People or consumers or also influence by religious, professional and trade union groups these. Reference groups also include opinion leader a person who influences. In certain dynamic industries such as fashion, food and personal care, the personal view and opinion of the consumer pertaining to style and fun can become the dominant influencing factor. For the purpose of research, null hypothesis has been taken into consideration.
Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and all the activities associated with the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services, including the consumers emotional, mental and behavioural responses that precede or follow these activities. Consumer behaviour group dynamics, reference groups and opinion leadership manish sonkar ims unison university 2. Informational influence occurs when an individual uses the behavior and opinions of. The family life cycle stages in consumer behaviour the family life cycle stages in consumer behaviour courses with reference manuals and examples pdf. This recent but accumulating literature suggests that interpersonal influence in online contexts is very similar to offline interpersonal influence, despite. Reference groups are groups that consumers compare themselves to or associate with. Junior scientific researcher journal munich personal repec. Reference groups as seen above have the greatest influence with the closest personal connection with customers. Influence of social reference group on buying behavior, a. Reference groups can influence an individuals cognitions, affective responses, and behaviors. The former area includes the examination of family and social influences, reference groups, attribution and selfperception. A study on influence of reference group and role and. In an age where the brands are being created frequently.
Reference group influence on product and brand purchase decisions. Consumer behavior literature indicates that reference groups may alter consumers choices in three different manners. Social factors influencing consumer buying decision can be classified as under. Any group that has a positive or negative influence on a persons attitude and behavior. These varied behaviors influence the personal preferences of the other set of individuals as they tend to perform those activities. Reference group and opinion leadership reference groups use other people as a frame of reference. First and foremost, a customer tries to discover what items heshe ought to consume and after that feels free to choose just those products that guarantee them more noteworthy utility. In reference groups those groups that directly influence the consumer behavior are called membership group or primary groups such as friends, neighbors, family and coworkers. The family life cycle stages in consumer behaviour.
Reference group has influence in consumers decision making. In this article, we focus on reference groups as a source of brand associations, which can be linked to ones mental representation of self to meet selfverification or. The study of consumer behaviour is concerned with all aspects of purchasing and consumption behavior as well as all persons involved in purchasing. She is a key member of a team exploring how technology can be used to enhance the student learning experience. A reference group serves as a frame of reference for an individual and influences hisher behavior. Several studies that analyzed the influence of reference groups suggest a. J pub health catalog 2018 volume 1 issue 2 in almost all ethnic groups within sierra leone. The following powers are used to influence individuals in a group. Reference groups influence a great deal of consumer decisions, nevertheless, the.
Reference groups influence consumer behavior by building aspirations for the individual and, helping him to choose the product for a particular lifestyle. Consumer behaviour emerged in the 1940s and 50s as a distinct subdiscipline in the marketing area. It is a group that serves as a reference point for an individual for hisher beliefs, attitude and behaviour. A reference group is any person or group that serves as a point of comparison or reference for an individual in forming either general or specific values, attitudes, or a specific guide for behavior. Definition of reference group in consumer behaviour. Definition of reference group in consumer behaviour definition of reference group in consumer behaviour courses with reference manuals and examples pdf. Social influences on the consumer decision process. Reference groups have potential in forming a person attitude or behavior. Reference groups can influence a consumer by affecting how they perceive a given product or service i. They are often groups that consumers will look to to make purchasing. Thus, it can be said that a consumer s reference groups are those groups, which may have a direct or indirect influence on ones attitude or behavior. Reference group is a group that serves as a reference point for an individual in the formation of hisher beliefs, attitudes and behaviour. Reference group influenec on consumer behaviour consumer. A group becomes a reference group when an individual recognizes with the group.
Read this article to learn about the meaning and types of group dynamics in consumer behaviour. The impact of reference groups varies across products and brands. Pdf the purpose of this paper is to understand the influences of social reference group on women buying behaviour and across specific. Social reference group influence on women buying behaviour. A group can be formed when two or more individuals share a set of norms and beliefs. A group consists of two or more individuals who share a set of norms, values or beliefs and have a defined relationship such that their behaviour is interdependent. How reference groups exert influence on consumer behavior 3143 words pages. Humans are inherently social animals, and individuals greatly influence each other. Introduction in our daily lives, we all get influenced by a variety of people while making our purchase decisions.
The set of associations consumers have about a brand is an important component of brand equity. Nowadays marketers use the concept of group dynamics or personal influence often as this exceeds the. A useful framework of analysis of group influence on the individual is the so called reference groupthe term comes about because an individual uses a relevant group as a standard of reference against which oneself is compared. Today network marketing has come into picture which is also known as referral marketing. Pdf social reference group influence on women buying. Reference groups may influence the purchase of cars, vacations, tvs, flats, hotel rooms. The role of reference group influence in consumer behaviour. Our parents, our families, and our friends play a role. The influence of familial and peerbased reference groups on consumer decisions.
Each consumer in society is a member of different groups depending on their culture, various subcultures or even social class can influence their consumer purchase. Membership groups belong to affinity marketing is focused on the desires of consumers that belong to reference groups. An analysis of the impact of reference groups on collectivist families meal social interaction behaviour in sierra leone. As this study is an exploratory study, a pilot study of 50. The society is composed of several individuals that have different preferences and behaviors. Reference groups and family reference groups and families. This research paper emphases on the influence of reference group and roles and status on the consumer buying behavior. Social factors affect consumer behavior significantly. A study on influence of reference group and role and status on. Reference groups influence people a lot in their buying decisions. How do reference groups influence consumer behavior. Reference groups comprise of people that individuals compare themselves with. Factors affecting consumers buying decision in the.
Most people have several reference groups like family, friends and church. Using reference groups in marketing business 2 community. The modern day marketing has not only become consumer oriented but it has even diversified its base. Reference group influence on product and brand purchase. Primary reference groups are basically the set of people whom you meet every day. They set the levels of lifestyle, purchasing patterns, etc. Social factors influencing consumer behavior definition. Every individual has someone around influencing their buying decisions. The social factors are the factors that are prevalent in the society where a consumer live in. Identifying and using reference groups in marketing are important because reference groups influence the attitudes, goals, aspirations, opinions, and information. Pdf the influence of familial and peerbased reference. Reference group s have the greatest influence on consumer behaviour when the product service in question is seen as a luxury and the consumption is conspicuous. Marketers get the groups to approve the product and communicate that approval to its members. What are social factors influencing consumer behavior.
1399 1328 1420 330 648 341 1054 975 986 567 250 1262 1382 1213 923 918 1598 1386 18 612 705 227 373 1496 211 1323 469 166 39 1279 509 652 1487