Alternatives to information processing in consumer research New perspectives on old controversies

Nakamoto, Kent

doi:10.1016/0167-8116(87)90011-5

Cited by 10 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Instead, the researcher refrains from pre‐determining what product attributes or situational factors could influence choice behavior, which are instead seen to emerge through the personal‐historical categories of consumer experience; and these are explored and documented by the cognitive anthropologist. Context, in other words, is analyzed in relation to the enacted problem framing behaviors of the individual consumer, with the consumer viewed less like the linear computer chip model that Belk (1987) finds so unappealing, and more like introspective experience tells us consumers act namely, as “an active, if less precise, interpreter of his environment” (Nakamoto, 1987, p. 25). This is because “tool usage” is, quite naturally, contingent upon both the information processing and problem‐solving ability of the individual, and the material availability of the tools in a specific task context.…”

Section: Traditional Approaches To Context In Consumer Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropology and consumer research: qualitative insights into green consumer behavior

Tadajewski

Wagner‐Tsukamoto

2006

Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce a new qualitative method that is theoretically underpinned by cognitive anthropology. This research strategy is introduced to further advance the understanding of complex green consumer behavior – in this case life‐cycle analysis.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the contextual aspects of problem‐solving behavior of green, environmentally concerned consumers. Cognitive anthropology develops a different, yet complementary, understanding of consumer cognition to a psychological approach. Through the concepts of practical thinking and bricolage, cognition and behavior are conceptualized on a contextual basis. Such an approach encourages a reassessment of how consumer research has traditionally conceptualized problem framing, information search, information processing and related concepts. The paper draws upon in‐depth, qualitative interviews with a wide range of green consumers from both the UK and Germany.FindingsThe findings provide some interesting clues regarding the nature of information search and information processing. In the sample, the green consumers of the top clusters were able to see and retrieve life‐cycle information as it was offered by a shopping context and it was this context, as it is perceived by the bricoleur that ultimately limits information search and processing. Within the “objective” bounds of a choice context, skilful practical thinking and bricolage was shown in different degrees amongst the clusters, with considerable creativity shown in “seeing” life‐cycle information.Research limitations/implicationsGiven that the research outlined in this paper is mono‐paradigmatic, it is suggested that a future avenue for research in green consumer behavior would be the use of a multiple paradigm approach.Practical implicationsThe paper outlines a stepping approach to marketing communications directed towards the green, or potentially green consumer, suggesting that some form of community based social marketing program might be a useful educational tool given the findings presented.Originality/valueThe introduction of a new research strategy – cognitive anthropology to the study of green consumer behavior.

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Section: Traditional Approaches To Context In Consumer Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropology and consumer research: qualitative insights into green consumer behavior

Tadajewski

Wagner‐Tsukamoto

2006

Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal

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“…The acknowledged partiality of an approach which sees the consumer as a boundedly rational, but nonetheless conscious and analytical problem solver, has focused the attention on the identification of the basic cognitive structures which shape preferences, attitudes, and in turn consumption behavior, according to an approach which may be loosely defined as WRSGRZQ, in contrast with the piecemeal, ERWWRPXS approach of the information processing view. According to the top-down view, problem solving in general and decision making in particular is tightly linked to higher-level knowledge structures and frames that shape the entire perception of the task and subsequent "performance" (Gardner, (1985); see, e.g., Nakamoto, (1987), for a discussion of these different approaches to consumer research). The key feature is that such link cannot be entirely reduced to some computational and analytical encoding procedure, but, on the contrary, it is at least partly "holistic" and "global" in nature (see, e.g., Cohen and Basu, (1987)).…”

Section: Schemas and Scriptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

From utilities to mental models: a critical survey on decision rules and cognition in consumer choice

Devetag

1999

Industrial and Corporate Change

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Cognitive anthropology and the problem‐solving behaviour of green consumers

Wagner‐Tsukamoto

Tadajewski

2006

J of Consumer Behaviour

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*This paper examines the contextual aspects of problem-solving behaviour of 'green', environmentally oriented consumers. It is argued that by profiling the consumer in cognitive terms, a more robust understanding of green consumer behaviour can be provided. *To illustrate this, we draw upon the cognitive anthropological concepts of practical thinking and bricolage. These are used to integrate 'context' into a model of cognition via qualitative, interview-based research which examined how consumers assess the environmental friendliness of supermarket products. *In order to increase external validity two respondent groups were compared, British and German consumers. Different levels of successful and unsuccessful practical thinking and bricolage were identified.

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Alternatives to information processing in consumer research New perspectives on old controversies

Cited by 10 publications

References 54 publications

Anthropology and consumer research: qualitative insights into green consumer behavior

Anthropology and consumer research: qualitative insights into green consumer behavior

From utilities to mental models: a critical survey on decision rules and cognition in consumer choice

Cognitive anthropology and the problem‐solving behaviour of green consumers

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