32. Which of the following is a characteristic of consumers with low need for cognition?
a.
They tend to be influenced by things like an endorser’s attractiveness and cues that are not
central to a message.
b.
They tend to think carefully about products, problems, and even marketing messages.
c.
They tend to be influenced heavily by the quality of the arguments in an advertisement.
d.
They tend to have more negative consumer attitudes and purchase intentions when
presented with humorous ads.
e.
They exhibit more negative attitudes and purchase intentions towards brands that are
advertised using sexual imagery.
33. Sam recently bought a new cologne just because his favorite football star had endorsed it. In doing so,
which of the following traits did Sam display?
a.
High innovativeness
b.
High frugality
c.
Low need for cognition
d.
High materialism
e.
Low competitiveness
34. Which of the following traits can be defined as an enduring tendency to strive to be better than others?
a.
Competitiveness
b.
Innovativeness
c.
Agreeableness
d.
Value consciousness
e.
Impulsiveness
35. Which of the following instances indicates the presence of competitiveness?
a.
When a consumer attempts to display superiority over others by openly flaunting
exclusive products, especially publicly-visible products
b.
When consumers engage in bargaining while making purchases
c.
When consumers reduce their material consumption
d.
When consumers exhibit restraint while purchasing items other than basic provisions
e.
When consumers redeem grocery coupons at retail outlets
36. Bob spends most of his leisure time playing online games. He feels happy and satisfied only after he
“beats” his online friends in a game. Which consumer behavior trait does Bob display?
a.
Innovation
b.
Frugality
c.
Materialism
d.
Competitiveness
e.
Need for cognition
37. Which of the following best describes conspicuous consumption?
a.
It refers to the conscious decision to reduce one’s material consumption.
b.
It refers to the tendency of a consumer to engage in bargaining behaviors while making
purchases.
c.
It refers to the tendency of a consumer to exhibit restraint while making purchase
decisions and using resources.
d.
It refers to the tendency of consumers to focus on maximizing what is received from a
transaction as compared to what is given.
e.
It refers to a tendency of the wealthy to flaunt their material possessions as a way of
displaying their social class.
38. Deanne is married to a very wealthy attorney and she wants everyone to know that. She drives an
expensive car, wears designer clothing, and diamond jewelry. In doing so, which of the following traits
does Deanne exhibit?
a.
Audience effect
b.
Conspicuous consumption
c.
Self-monitoring
d.
Downshifting
e.
Innovativeness
39. Carla Miller, a wealthy socialite and interior designer, belongs to an elite community comprising of the
rich and the famous of New York City. She is seen wearing only high-end designer clothing and
accessories that speak of her high social status, as she cares about what others think of her. She likes to
present herself perfectly in social situations and is seen only in the company of the elite. Which of the
following traits can be associated with Carla’s behavior?
a.
Low self-monitoring
b.
Low need for cognition
c.
High frugality
d.
High self-monitoring
e.
Low self-esteem
40. Which of the following is true about consumer behavior traits?
a.
Low self-monitors care deeply about what others think and say about their behaviors.
b.
Consumers with low need for cognition tend to think carefully about products, problems,
and even marketing messages.
c.
Consumers with high need for cognition tend to be influenced by things like an endorser’s
attractiveness and cues that are not central to a message.
d.
Low self-monitors tend to care more about the functionality of products.
e.
High self-monitors are not sensitive to the opinions of others.
41. _____ refers to the tendency of consumers to take excessive pride in themselves, including their
appearance and accomplishments.
a.
Trait vanity
b.
Trait anxiety
c.
Innovativeness
d.
Frugality
e.
Competitiveness
42. Richard is a very social person who loves to mingle with others. He enjoys talking to people and
makes friends effortlessly. Which of the following personality traits does Richard display in this
instance?
a.
Competitiveness
b.
Materialism
c.
Conscientiousness
d.
Introversion
e.
Extroversion
43. According to the five-factor model (FFM) approach, which of the following most aptly describes a
conscientious consumer?
a.
Talkative
b.
Outgoing
c.
Creative
d.
Sympathetic
e.
Organized
44. Which of the following approaches to personality assumes that some traits are specific (bargaining
proneness), and others are more broad (extroversion)?
a.
Nomothetic perspective
b.
Hierarchical approach
c.
Five-level model
d.
Idiographic perspective
e.
Single-trait approach
45. _____ is a relatively new approach to researching consumers and combines personality theory and
motivation.
a.
Nomothetic approach
b.
Idiographic approach
c.
Single-trait approach
d.
Self-congruence approach
e.
Personology approach
46. _____ refers to human characteristics that can be associated with a brand.
a.
Brand language
b.
Brand personality
c.
Brand architecture
d.
Brand identity
e.
Brand equity
47. _____ refer(s) to the ways consumers live and spend their time and money.
a.
Lifestyles
b.
Demographics
c.
Personality
d.
Psychographics
e.
Geodemographics
48. Which of the following is true about consumer lifestyles?
a.
They are considered an important manifestation of social stratification.
b.
They are not influenced by culture, groups and individual processes.
c.
They are completely determined by personality.
d.
They have no effect on consumer purchase patterns.
e.
They remain the same across cultures.
49. Consumer lifestyles are measured using _____.
a.
demographics
b.
cost-benefit analysis
c.
psychographics
d.
geodemographics
e.
conjoint analysis
50. Psychographic analysis involves surveying consumers using _____, which are used to gain an
understanding of consumers’ activities, interests, and opinions.
a.
PERT tools
b.
Six Sigma methods
c.
ANOVA techniques
d.
CPM algorithms
e.
AIO statements
51. Which of the following classifies consumers into eight distinct segments based on resources available
to the consumer, as well as three primary motivations?
a.
PERT
b.
AIDA
c.
VALS 2
d.
SIPOC
e.
PRIZM
52. _____ combine(s) data on consumer expenditures and socioeconomic variables with geographic
information in order to identify commonalities in consumption patterns of households in various
regions.
a.
Psychographic techniques
b.
Psychoanalytic techniques
c.
VALS
d.
Geodemographic techniques
e.
PRIZM
53. PRIZM is based on the premise that people with similar backgrounds and means tend to live close to
one another and emulate each other’s behaviors and lifestyles. This is a _____ procedure.
a.
psychoanalytic
b.
demographic
c.
ethnographic
d.
social
e.
geodemographic
54. Which of the following is a lifestyle analysis technique that uses 66 different segments as descriptors
of individual households which are ranked according to socioeconomic variables?
a.
VALS
b.
CPM
c.
ANOVA
d.
PRIZM
e.
PERT
55. Which of the following is true about PRIZM?
a.
It combines demographic and behavioral information in a manner that enables marketers
to better understand and target their customers.
b.
It classifies consumers into eight distinct segments based on resources available to the
consumer as well as three primary motivations.
c.
It was developed and marketed by Strategic Business Insights.
d.
It is based on the premise that people with similar backgrounds and means disassociate
themselves from each other’s behaviors and lifestyles.
e.
It is based on the premise that people with similar backgrounds tend to live away from one
another.
56. _____ are observable, statistical aspects of populations including such factors as age, gender, or
income.
a.
Psychographics
b.
Strata
c.
Traits
d.
Identifiers
e.
Demographics
57. _____ refers to the totality of thoughts and feelings that an individual has about him- or herself.
a.
Value Consciousness
b.
Brand personality
c.
Self-concept
d.
Self-esteem
e.
Body esteem
58. Mary thinks of herself as a warm, caring person. She is happy and content with her life and believes
that others enjoy her company. These thoughts and feelings that Mary has about herself comprise her
_____.
a.
body esteem
b.
self-congruence
c.
demographic features
d.
need for cognition
e.
self-concept
59. According to _____, consumers agree on the shared meaning of products and symbols.
a.
symbolic interactionism perspective
b.
symbolic logic perspective
c.
nomothetic perspective
d.
idiographic perspective
e.
self-congruency perspective
60. Which of the following best describes semiotics?
a.
It refers to the study of symbols and their meanings.
b.
It refers to the study of human psychology.
c.
It refers to the study of human behavior.
d.
It refers to the study of organizational behavior.
e.
It refers to the study of cognitive development.
61. Sally is a research student who has chosen to conduct a consumer behavior research for her doctoral
thesis. Believing that consumers often use products to convey their self-concepts to others, she studies
luxury brands, logos, and products to find out what they mean to consumers. Which of the following
best describes this field of study?
a.
Teleology
b.
Semiotics
c.
Linguistics
d.
Personology
e.
Archeology
62. Which self-concept refers to how a consumer currently perceives him- or herself?
a.
Ideal self
b.
Actual self
c.
Possible self
d.
Social self
e.
Extended self
63. Claudia reads publications such as The Wall Street Journal and other reputed dailies, and perceives
herself to be knowledgeable about current affairs. Which of the following self-concepts is best
reflected in Claudia’s perception of herself as a knowledgeable person?
a.
Possible self
b.
Ideal self
c.
Social self
d.
Extended self
e.
Actual self
64. The extended self refers to:
a.
how a consumer would like to perceive himself.
b.
the beliefs that a consumer has about how he or she is seen by others.
c.
the various possessions that a consumer owns that help him form perceptions about
himself.
d.
an image of what the consumer could ideally become.
e.
the image that a consumer would like others to have about him.
65. Which of the following best describes the ideal self?
a.
It represents the various possessions that a consumer owns that help him form perceptions
about himself.
b.
It represents the image that a consumer would like others to have about him or her.
c.
It refers to how a consumer would like to perceive himself.
d.
It refers to the beliefs that a consumer has about how he or she is perceived by others.
e.
It refers to how a consumer currently perceives him- or herself.
66. Which of the following statements about self-concept is true?
a.
Actual self refers to how a consumer would like to perceive himself.
b.
Ideal self refers to how a consumer currently perceives him- or herself.
c.
Ideal social self represents the image that a consumer would like others to have about him
or her.
d.
Possible self represents the various possessions that a consumer owns that help him form
perceptions about himself.
e.
Extended self refers to the positivity with which one holds his or her body image.
67. Kenneth enrolled in a graduate school to study entrepreneurship because he wanted to become a
successful entrepreneur and start his own business venture in a few years’ time. Which of the
following types of self-concepts played the greatest role in Kenneth’s decision to enroll in graduate
school?
a.
Actual self
b.
Social self
c.
Ideal social self
d.
Extended self
e.
Possible self
68. The positivity of an individual’s self-concept is called _____.
a.
id
b.
body esteem
c.
extended self
d.
self-congruence
e.
self-esteem
69. Which theory proposes that much of consumer behavior can be explained by the match between a
consumer’s self-concept and the image of typical users of a product?
a.
Self-congruency theory
b.
Self-determination theory
c.
Self-verification theory
d.
Self-perception theory
e.
Self-discrepancy theory
THE BILLIONAIRE LIFESTYLE SCENARIO
Philip, Joe and Ralph are all part of a billionaire’s club in their city. They are all in their mid-40s, but
with remarkably successful careers, they became billionaires within a very short period of time. Philip,
the CEO of his own real-estate venture, started out as a dynamic entrepreneur who managed to make
huge profits within two years of starting his business venture. He believes in living life luxuriously and
lavishly. Joe, the CEO of an event management company, shares the same thought. Joe and Philip
splurge on the latest cars and electronic gadgets in the market. They buy designer clothes, shoes and
watches. They party at the best clubs in the city and are known to order customized suits for
themselves from some of the best designers around the world. They also have a passion for traveling.
They take time off from their work and visit exotic locations around the world, stay in the best hotels,
and eat at expensive restaurants. But not all billionaires are like Philip and Joe; Ralph, the CEO of a
chain of luxury hotels, used to be materialistic like the others. These days, he is no longer interested in
living a lavish life and is rather keen on reducing his material consumption. He prefers living a simple
life with his family, and rarely indulges himself like he used to do earlier. He feels that being too
materialistic can not only lead to financial distress in the future, but also create problems in his
personal life. Instead of partying like the others, he is often seen at charity events making donations.
He wants to be known primarily for his contributions to the society and not for having an extravagant
lifestyle.
70. Refer to The Billionaire Lifestyle Scenario. Philip’s belief in living life the luxurious way indicates
that he follows the _____ principle.
a.
reality
b.
abstinence
c.
pleasure
d.
stoic
e.
charity
71. Refer to The Billionaire Lifestyle Scenario. Philip and Joe buy the latest and the most expensive cars
in the market. They also splurge on designer clothes, shoes and watches. In doing so, which of the
following consumer behavior traits are they displaying?
a.
Materialism
b.
Need for cognition
c.
Frugality
d.
Downshifting
e.
Low self-monitoring
72. Refer to The Billionaire Lifestyle Scenario. Philip and Joe mostly wear designer outfits, watches, and
shoes. They also buy the latest and the most expensive cars and electronic gadgets. If Philip and Joe
were to engage in flaunting their material possessions as a way of displaying their social class, such a
tendency could be described as _____.
a.
value consciousness
b.
frugality
c.
philanthropy
d.
low self-monitoring
e.
conspicuous consumption
73. Refer to The Billionaire Lifestyle Scenario. Ralph, unlike Joe and Philip, practices _____ as he thinks
that high levels of materialism can adversely affect his debt levels and personal relationships.
a.
eliminative materialism
b.
downshifting
c.
reductionism
d.
subjective idealism
e.
functionalism
74. Refer to The Billionaire Lifestyle Scenario. Ralph’s desire to be known as a philanthropist reflects his
_____.
a.
low need for cognition
b.
low self-monitoring tendency
c.
ideal social self
d.
extended self
e.
actual self
THE DESIGNER CLOTHES SCENARIO
Fashion weeks in New York, Paris, and Milan featuring haughty supermodels strutting up and down
the ramp generate a lot of attention for designers, especially if the collection is unique or unorthodox.
But who buys these clothes? Apparently, only a small group of customers, as the celebrities seen so
often flaunting designer clothing get these outfits for free in return for the publicity they generate for
designers. This small group of customers comprise of women like Anna, Cindy, and Christine. Anna
purchased a Balmain mini dress worth $24,000 and several other outfits because, as she stated, “I buy
what I love.” On the other hand, Cindy, an art enthusiast, purchased an Alexander McQueen jacket
priced over $11,000. To her an apparel, besides being a work of art, also helps her form perceptions
about herself. Christine, who attends high society events almost every night, wears any dress only once
and in case she is attending more than one social event, changes several times in the course of a single
evening. For these women, their clothing is an expression of themselves and how they want people to
see them.
75. Refer to The Designer Clothes Scenario. Anna’s statement, “I buy what I love,” focuses on immediate
gratification and is based on the _____ principle.
a.
reality
b.
abstinence
c.
pleasure
d.
superego
e.
philanthropy
76. Refer to The Designer Clothes Scenario. Expensive designer clothes are possessions that are very
important to women like Anna, Cindy, and Christine. Which of the following consumer behavior traits
are these consumers displaying?
a.
Materialism
b.
Need for cognition
c.
Frugality
d.
Downshifting
e.
Low self-monitoring
77. Refer to The Designer Clothes Scenario. Christine wears a different designer outfit in each social event
that she attends. For her, such occasions are not only an opportunity to flaunt her endless collection of
designer wears, but also to display her social class in the process. This is an example of _____.
a.
value consciousness
b.
frugality
c.
philanthropy
d.
low self-monitoring
e.
conspicuous consumption
78. Refer to The Designer Clothes Scenario. Anna, Cindy, and Christine can afford to spend on high-end
luxury brands. For them, these brands are means of self-expression, and testimonials to their
sophistication and achievement. The way they are perceived in society really matters to them.
According to the VALS 2 approach, Anna, Cindy, and Christine would most likely be classified as
_____.
a.
innovators
b.
strivers
c.
believers
d.
makers
e.
thinkers
79. Refer to The Designer Clothes Scenario. Cindy’s _____ represents the various designer outfits that she
owns that help her form perceptions about herself.
a.
low need for cognition
b.
self-esteem
c.
ideal self
d.
extended self
e.
actual self
ESSAY
1. Define personality and describe three distinct qualities exhibited by personality.
2. Describe the psychoanalytic approach to personality and the way it has been applied in consumer
research. Has this approach been useful for understanding consumer behavior? Explain.
3. Define trait. Differentiate between the nomothetic and idiographic approaches.
4. Briefly describe any five important traits found in consumer research that influence consumer
behavior.
5. Define brand personality and explain its significance.
6. Explain why lifestyles are important to the study of consumer behavior and describe how consumer
lifestyles are measured.
7. Describe the role of self-concept in consumer behavior and describe the various types of self-concepts.
8. Explain self-congruency theory and its relevance to consumer behavior.
