Consumer Psychology: Characteristics And Theoretical Models

The confluence of the industrialization process and the development of science has generated the emergence of disciplines that are dedicated to analyzing the market and consumption. One of them is consumer psychology or behavioral economics, a discipline that studies cognitive and emotional trends in order to understand how they influence the market.

This field of psychology investigates how we make decisions in relation to the acquisition of a product and what factors intervene in the desire to buy and the reasons that ultimately determine the buying behavior. Next, we will analyze the main psychological variables of the consumer, as well as the environmental factors that influence them.

How to understand the consumer?

Consumer psychology deals with the emergence of purchasing needs and related psychological and environmental factors. From this discipline, a series of strategies focused on the commercial offer of a consumer good can also be drawn.

The key aspects in the analysis of consumer behavior are the following:

• Personal aspects. They are the characteristics that differentiate us from each other and make us unique. Consumer psychology takes into account the diversity that may exist in each consumer group analyzed.

• Cognitive components. They are the ideas and thoughts through which we operate. Consumer psychology studies how we process information and how we make decisions regarding consumption.
• Behavioral elements. Consumer behavior is studied to be able to delineate a brand’s approach to potential buyers.
• Social aspects. Psychologists in this branch investigate sociological guidelines to find marketing strategies , based on the understanding of certain behaviors.
• Emotional aspects. They are analyzed to determine what feelings a product generates or should generate.

These principles, in general and together, define the basis on which consumer psychology works. This basis is common for any product or service that is intended to be commercialized, be it an object or something that is not tangible – such as insurance. This discipline can even collaborate in the promotion of commercial strategies to improve the quality of life.

Factors influencing the consumer

Consumer psychology analyzes consumer behavior taking into account the group context in which the person operates. In this way, it defines different types of group depending on the type of influence it exerts on the consumer:

• Primary group. In this group, the closest family or environment in which each person grows up is taken into account. It is the primary group because it is in this group that we learn the first buying habits and the ways to choose it.
• Secondary group. This includes friends, co-workers, partners and institutions that have been part of our lives at some point.
• Tertiary group. The media, social leaders, youtubers , influencers , etc. belong to this group . In short, all those influencing factors with which there has been no physical proximity or that can be essentially abstract.

Thus, the family defines the consumption patterns of the individual insofar as it is through their guidelines and beliefs that we initially learn how to behave when consuming, whether we are more or less aware of it.

On the other hand, the secondary group also generates a certain effect on us that affects our behavior as consumers, especially as regards assimilation to the norm. And the tertiary group exercises decisive influence finally, since it is usually the most trendsetting, such as athletes, singers, etc.

Other factors that influence consumer behavior

Now, groups are not the only factors that affect us. There are other sources of influence that consumer psychology takes into account:

• Culture. Factors such as traditions can generate behavior patterns that are related to our consumption needs.
• Status. Given that as social beings we try to fit in with a group to which we belong or want to belong, it is common to adopt their behavioral dynamics of consumption.
• Emotions. We show definite psychophysiological reactions to certain situations. This is studied by this discipline to clarify what emotions are related to the purchase of products.

Taking into account all the factors set out above, consumer psychology can not only determine people’s consumption needs and how to influence them, but also create specific consumer profiles and help commercial brands with it.

Models used in consumer psychology

Consumer psychology specializes in aspects belonging to different areas, such as marketing , economics and sociology. We show you some of the explanatory models used:

• Field theory. It suggests that consumption depends on the environment in which the person is when buying.
• Learning model. The components of the purchase would be: impulses, stimuli and reactions; These elements are those that intervene when a person buys something.
• Model based on psychoanalysis. He defends that we buy according to our morals, instincts and conscious and unconscious aspects.
• Sociological field. It suggests that we buy according to our culture and groups to which we belong.
• Economic theory. It maintains that what is most profitable is bought and the benefit that the purchase will bring with it is valued.

We must not forget that our purchasing decisions also depend on the needs we have at all times. Thus, each one can prioritize according to their conditions and wishes when buying, although in many cases it is done from needs generated in us for economic interest.

The theories that could explain consumer behavior are multiple, but in general they defend the existence of many influencing factors and also support the notion that the purchase can occur, sometimes, unconsciously.

As we can see, consumer psychology is, in short, a science that tries to describe and explain our needs based on our behaviors, emotions, thoughts and our context.

Knowing consumer behavior, as is well known in the commercial field, is extremely useful for the positioning of a brand. Many agencies already have specialist psychologists to help them with their observations and theories.