Ch. 10 Reference Groups

What are institutions?

more prominent groups or entities with a pervasive and universal presence in a society i.e. schools, religions, families

What is a group?

two or more persons sharing a common purpose

Explain identity adoption vs Identity Distancing

- Identity Adoption = When we find some group's image appealing, we want to adopt their identity - Identity Distancing= when we find a groups image unappealing, we want to distance ourselves from its identity - disassociate identification group

What are some things that group members have to do to pursue this common purpose?

- Share some values - recognize interdependency - assume specific roles - communicate mutual expectations and evaluations - Provide members with some rewards/ punishments

What are the 3 factors that make consumers more or less susceptible to interpersonal influence

1. Autonomy- the desire to feel free to do whatever one wants. High autonomy = high self esteem = less susceptible to interpersonal influence 2. Risk Averseness- how much risk people are willing to accept. One was to minimize risk is seeking and following advice. 3. Consumption as Identity Marker- the extent to which a person defines his or her identity by consumption "you are what you consume vs "a person is defined by his/her knowledge and character"

What are the two essential qualities of an opinion leader?

1. Expertise- possession of knowledge about a topic or product (especially knowledge that is not commonly know) 2. Trustworthiness- the perceived benevolence and dependability of the opinion giver

What are 5 characteristics that an opinion leader has?

1. High product involvement 2. Recognized as a leader 3. Socially well integrated 4. More exposed to variety in media sources, especially news and information media programs ( rather than merely entertainment-oriented media) 5. Hold leadership and formal office positions in social and community organizations

Name the 3 forms of reference group influence...

1. Informational Influence 2. Normative Influence 3. Identificational Influence

Name and describe the innovation adopter categories

1. Innovators- the first 2.5% of the population to adopt to an innovation. Adopt independently from others 2. Early Adopters- next 13.5% who deliberate rather than rush, but are independent in their thinking 3. Early Majority- next 34% who are very deliberate and adopt if they see little risk 4. Late Majority - next 34% who are skeptical of anything new, are extremely risk averse, and resist adopting unless an innovation has been proved useful and safe 5. Laggards - last 16% who are the most hesitant to adopt anything new, resist or postpone adopting new products

What are the 4 method to identify opinion leaders?

1. Observation method 2. Self-Designation method 3. Sociometry 4. Key-Informants method

What are the 5 platforms for expressing one's opinion in cyberspace?

1. email 2. feeback sites i.e. Amazon posting product reviews 3. web groups and forums i.e. online chatrooms 4. Social networking sites i.e. Facebook 5. Web blogs

What is an aspirational group?

A person is not already a member, but desires and expects to become a member

Describe the Sociometry method to identify opinion leaders

A researcher asks residents of a community who they would consult with of look to for information on certain topics

Who are E-Fluentials

A subgroup of influentials, consisting of the persons who are net-savvy, and influence people both online and offline - 10 % of the population - believe in the power of the internet as a channel for influencing people

What is Social Comparison Theory?

A two part statement 1. As humans, we have an innate need to evaluate ourselves 2. because we do not have objective criteria, we look to others similar to ourselves for an evaluation template Example - Normative adoption= using others as normative standards - Identificational choices= we adopt to those we believe we identify with - Take a pal shopping = shopping with a friend helps us make choices and ensures that the purchase meets the social comparison test

Describe Ascribed vs choice group

Ascribed groups (or assigned group)= membership is automatic, no choice i.e. family Choice groups= a person voluntarily joins

Describe the Self-Designation method to identify opinion leaders

Ask members of a community to answer questions that would reveal if they believe people seek advice from them

Describe the Key Informants method to identify opinion leaders

Ask prominent people in a community to name a few people they would consider able to influence others opinion on a given topic

Describe associative vs dissociative groups

Associative groups= we want to associate ourselves with these groups or we want to belong to these groups Dissociative groups= groups that we do not want to associate ourselves with

Describe Formal vs Informal groups

Formal groups= membership is granted by formal admission. There are rules of admission. Informal Groups= have few explicit rules about member behaviour i.e. family

What are Identificational reference group influence? And the 3 Subtypes

Indentificational influence occurs when a consumer emulates the behaviour of another person. The force behind the influence is the referent's attractiveness as a role model - The 3 subtypes of this influence are.. 1. Personal acquaintances (those we know immediately) 2. Cultural Heroes (celebrities) 3. Social Archetype groups (categories of persons sharing a lifestyle i.e. bohemians, jocks, cowboys)

What is Informational reference group influence and the 4 types of expert referents?

Informational influence occurs when a consumer is influenced by the product information someone provides. There are 4 types of expert referents... 1. Professional advisors i.e. doctors, car mechanics 2. Product enthusiasts i.e. computer buffs 3. Market Mavens i.e. people who know about marketplace happenings, price range, distribution outlets, etc. 4. Experienced consumers

Explain Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence (SIPI)..

It is defined as consumer motivation to follow other people's expectations and advice - being anxious about other's opinions

Explain membership vs symbolic groups

Membership Groups= an individual claiming to be a member is recognized by the head and key group members, even when membership is informal Symbolic groups= groups with no provision for granting membership. Symbolic group members operate on a psychological level. Deems themselves a member or desires to be a member

What is Normative reference group influence? And the 4 types of normative referents?

Normative influence occurs when a consumers decision or action is based on his/her desire to conform to the expectations of others There are 4 types of normative referents... 1. Parents and family members 2. Friends and peers 3. Regulatory bodies and other public institutions 4. Work organizations

Describe the observation method to identify opinion leaders

Observe people's patterns of interaction; from these observations we identify persons who interact with many others and who seem to command respect from others

Describe primary vs secondary groups

Primary groups= groups with whom a person interacts with frequently Secondary groups= the contact is infrequent and the norms of the group are considered less binding i.e. distant relatives, occupational groups

What is Buzz Marketing?

Rapid spreading of product news through word of mouth - peer-to-peer - viral marketing - spread in an exponential fashion - Cyber buzz - through the internet

What are 5 characteristics of innovators?

Risk takers Variety seekers High product interest Less well integrated More individualistic

What is the multi-step flow of communication?

Step A: Mass media reach the masses directly and at least create awareness, though not conviction Step B: The masses then seek advice from opinion leader

What is the two-step flow communication theory?

Suggests that communication from mass media reaches the masses in two steps 1. from mass media to opinion leader 2. from opinion leader to masses

What is Social Facilitation?

The effect that the mere presence of others has on our performance

Who are influentials?

The leading indicators of what consumers will be buying - slightly older people - optimistic about future - have internal locus (position) of control - read more

What is social loafing?

The propensity of individuals in a group to put in less effort because their individual effort will be less visible

What is the AIDA Model?

This model suggests that consumers pass through 4 mental stages when adopting a new innovation 1. Awareness- they become aware of the innovation 2. Interest- become interested and learn about it 3. Desire- learning about it will make them desire it 4. Action- take necessary action to acquire it

What is a referent?

any person, group or institution that serves as a point of referent -everyone has at least one referent or reference group

What is an opinion leader?

people who hold and give an opinion, which is accepted by opinion recipients - usually the first wave of adopters of new products

What are reference groups?

persons, groups, and institutions that one uses as points of reference - We use reference groups as guides for our own values and behaviours

What is opinion leadership?

the giving of information and advice, leading to the acceptance of the advocated position by the recipient of the position

What is the Diffusion process of innovation?

the spreading of an innovation's acceptance and use through a population