Radical behaviorist interpretation: Generating and evaluating an account of consumer behavior

Abstract

This article considers an approach to the radical behaviorist interpretation of complex human social behavior. The chosen context is consumer psychology, a field currently dominated by cognitive models of purchase and consumption. The nature of operant interpretation is considered, and several levels of operant analysis of complex economic behavior in affluent marketing-oriented economies are developed. Empirical evidence for the interpretation is considered, and a case is made for the qualified use of the hypothetico-deductive method in the appraisal of operant interpretations of complex behaviors.

Cross Channel Consumer Behavior and its Benefits: Scale Validation to Assess Purchasing Process Performance

“…This induces the obtainment of reinforcers (Foxall, 1998(Foxall, , 2005(Foxall, , and 2010) that can stimulate the repetition of CCB for a better purchasing process (Gensler et al, 2012).…”

“…In contrast, negative utilitarian benefits refer to a consequence mediated by the acquisition process and use of the product that increases the probability of this auxiliary precurrent behavior occurring again, after the removal of an unfavorable (aversive) event (Foxall, 1998(Foxall, , 2005. This can cover the avoidance of delays in delivering the product, saving resources, and postponement of payment.…”

“…Symbolic benefits are social and mediated by other people (Foxall, 1998) and can be positive and negative. Positive symbolic benefits refer to a social consequence that increases the probability Rafael Barreiros Porto / Sionara Ioco Okada of the precurrent behavior occurring again, after the insertion of an event that results in positive feedback about the consumer's performance (Foxall, 2010;Pohl & Oliveira-Castro, 2008).…”

“…Negative symbolic benefits, in turn, refer to social consequences that increase the probability of the auxiliary precurrent behavior occurring again, after the removal of an event that results in unfavorable (aversive) feedback about the consumer's performance (Foxall, 1998). This is generally perceived as the avoidance of some social embarrassment.…”

“…The theoretical model proposed in this study was inspired by the BPM (Behavioral Perspective Model) model from Foxall (1998), considering that the main causes of consumer behavior are located in the situation that involves the purchasing process. Foxall (2010) argues that there are discriminatory or adverse stimuli composing the purchasing scenario and that interact with the consumer's learning history to predict a consumer behavior.…”