Learning to consume – A theory of wants and the growth of demand

Witt, Ulrich

doi:10.1007/pl00003851

Cited by 248 publications

(114 citation statements)

References 2 publications

(2 reference statements)

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“…This does not mean, though, that there are no commonly shared motivational forces which exert a systematic influence on the mean behavior in the population. As explained elsewhere (Witt 2001), among others innate needs and drives signify as human universals and provide a basis for a generic analysis of the reasons of choice and, hence, of the individuals’ revealed preferences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The evolution of consumption and its welfare effects

Witt

2016

J Evol Econ

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In this paper the evolution of consumption is explained on the basis of a theory that connects preferences over actions to the motivational forces driving actions. More specifically, the hypotheses about what motivates consumption activities draw on insights from biology, behavioral science, and psychology. With secularly rising income, the growing consumption opportunities and the expanding consumption alter the underlying motivational forces and induce a change of preferences. As a consequence, the structure of consumption expenditures is systematically transformed. In the light of this explanation, the paper analyzes the effects of the growth and transformation of consumption on individual welfare. As turns out, the motivations driving the growth of consumption do not necessarily imply that this growth indeed results in welfare increases, particularly when the ability to spend on consumption is already high. Moreover, when preferences change, the measurement of the welfare effects of the growth and transformation of consumption depends on the arbitrary choice of a reference point. This implies an ambiguity that raises further queries about the normative foundations of the ubiquitous calls for continued consumption growth.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…6See Witt (2001). To give an example, let good j be gyros or any other dishes served in the hotel restaurant while on vacation in Greece.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The evolution of consumption and its welfare effects

Witt

2016

J Evol Econ

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“…The first is consistent, in an economic context, with the notion of "meansend chains" (Gutman, 1982;Walker and Olson, 1991;Pieters et al, 1995) in both consumer and worker decision making, ratio decidendi, the relation of courses of action directly through thought to the visceral factors Ψ ∈ H i -behavioural drives they satiate and emotions they elicit (Witt, 2001) (see appendix B). The second interpretation is that the implications {g a i } a i ∈2…”

Section: The Goods and Servicessupporting

confidence: 53%

“…This perspective on the evolution of demand vindicates and elaborates on the view of Ulrich Witt (2001). If we want to understand the evolution of demand, how individuals "learn to consume", we must understand how they construe the relation of goods and services to the ends they serve, the visceral factors -behavioural drives and emotions -which they elicit and satiate.…”

Section: New Consumer Theory and Learning To Consumementioning

confidence: 98%

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Foundations for Economic Analysis: The Architecture of Socioeconomic Complexity

Markey‐Towler¹

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In this work we develop a general theoretical system for economic analysis. We do so by building a model of the economy as an evolving network formed by the behaviour of individuals responding to their socioeconomic environment on the basis of their psychology. We obtain a vision of the structure and function of economic systems, their architecture, which is integrated, holistic and systematic. This vision expands the range of phenomena economics may explain, while incorporating the insights obtained by prior models within its rubric as special cases of a more general theory.Our vision of the determinants of the structure and function of economic systems is drastically expanded. But unlike many past critiques of the of the narrow vision of economics our model not only stresses the importance of psychological and sociological factors but places them in a definite position and relation in the process of behaviour by which socioeconomic systems are formed and evolve. Psychology and sociology are reintegrated wholesale into economics.Arguably the most valuable contribution of this work comes from a more quotidian focus.A peculiar characteristic of this work is that it places equal interest on the positing of an answer to the question of what connections do not form and why so as to what connections do. In so doing the present work provides an explanation for why economic systems are incomplete, some connections are not made. And in fact, this work pushes yet further to demonstrate that the existence of non-substitutability, even its relative ubiquity, may if originating in the satiation of needs cause it to be so that some connections can't be made. Certain economic structures cannot exist without the removal of certain conditions.The incompleteness of economic systems we thus come to appreciate allows them to evolve and our inquiries in this regard lead us to develop an account of the structural evolution of economic systems as yet unobtained within evolutionary economics. We will arrive at a revelation of the process of structural evolution as the transfer of connections facilitated by competition which exploits substitutability where it exists. We obtain a new, formal vantage point on the progression of socioeconomic history. Declaration by author AcknowledgementsIn a few pages I will tell a lie: this work is my own. I wrote it to be sure. I read the material which contributed to it, I developed the mathematics, I derived the theorems, I had the will to keep at it even while the signals from all but one quarter were that it was hopeless. But this is as much the work of John Foster, Peter Earl and Michelle Baddeley as it is my own. More so in fact. A bloated wastrel in form, yet in content a gaunt, wasted shade of the present work would be in the hands of you, the reader, were it not for the counsel of these three great minds. Without Michelle Baddeley, this work does not exist. Period. Without her believing in the strength of my intellect sufficiently to bring me to University College London for four mon...

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Understanding and achieving sustainable consumption: Integrating international political economy and psychology perspectives

Liu

2023

Bus Strat Dev

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The concept of sustainable consumption has gained significant attention in international policy discussions. In order to achieve sustainable consumption, it is essential to thoroughly comprehend the underlying causes of current unsustainable consumption patterns and the associated challenges in transitioning to more sustainable practices. This research, employing perspectives from international political economy and psychology, elucidates that unsustainable consumption is rooted in a combination of systemic and individual factors. Systemic factors encompass unequal exchange relations, lack of efficient telecoupling framework, political and ecological trade‐off dilemma. Individual factors include unsatisfied needs, insufficient environmental concern, and low self‐efficacy. Drawing upon these findings, this study presents a comprehensive set of macro and micro‐level policy recommendations for achieving sustainable consumption and a more equitable and sustainable future.

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Learning to consume – A theory of wants and the growth of demand

Cited by 248 publications

References 2 publications

The evolution of consumption and its welfare effects

The evolution of consumption and its welfare effects

Foundations for Economic Analysis: The Architecture of Socioeconomic Complexity

Understanding and achieving sustainable consumption: Integrating international political economy and psychology perspectives

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