26. Carl turned 55-years old in 2012. He retired early from his job as he had enough savings for a good
life. Carl belongs to the _____ group.
a.
greatest generation
b.
silent generation
c.
Generation X
d.
Millennials
e.
Baby Boomers
27. Consumers born between 1965 and 1980, long thought to be a group that was marked by alienation
and cynicism, belong to the _____.
a.
greatest generation
b.
Baby Boomers
c.
Millennials
d.
Generation X
e.
silent generation
28. Richard was born in 1976. His parents divorced when he was five years old. Since then he has been a
cynicist, but now he is a strong believer of traditional family values. The generational microculture
Richard belongs to is _____.
a.
Generation X
b.
Millennials
c.
Baby Boomers
d.
greatest generation
e.
Generation Y
29. Which of the following generational microcultures is also referred to as the “latchkey” kids?
a.
Greatest generation
b.
Silent generation
c.
Baby Boomers
d.
Generation X
e.
Millennials
30. Which of the following generational microcultures is also referred to as Generation Y?
a.
Greatest generation
b.
Silent generation
c.
Baby Boomers
d.
Millennials
e.
Global generation
31. Which of the following is true of the Millennials?
a.
They have estranged relations with their parents.
b.
They are referred to as the first “always connected” generation.
c.
They view technology as the cause for minimizing human interactions.
d.
They are collectively referred to as “digital natives.”
e.
They prefer to live in rural settings than in urban settings.
32. Stana is a 24-year-old working woman. She is very technologically savvy and believes in staying
connected with her friends online, at all times. She loves visiting coffee shops that provide WiFi
accessibility. She does not own a car as she prefers to walk than drive. She owns a small apartment in
an urban area. Stana belongs to the _____ group.
a.
Baby Boomers
b.
Generation X
c.
Generation Z
d.
Millennials
e.
greatest generation
33. Most young consumers who were born between 1995 and 2010 belong to _____.
a.
Generation X
b.
Baby Boomers
c.
Millennials
d.
Generation Y
e.
Generation Z
34. Which of the following statements is true about Generation Z?
a.
Their lives and values are shaped very much by World War II and their post-war
experiences.
b.
They are referred to as “latchkey” kids.
c.
They tend to embody the “kids growing older, younger” concept.
d.
They were born between 1981 and 1995.
e.
They tend to be frugal and follow, largely, utilitarian motivations with their purchases.
35. When a consumer is marked in some way that indicates their place in society, it is referred to as _____.
a.
stigmatization
b.
identification
c.
acculturation
d.
assimilation
e.
stratification
36. Prisoners are often seen in public picking up trash along interstate highways. Other people can
recognize these prisoners because of the green and white striped clothing they wear. This clothing is an
example of _____ because it indicates that they are incarcerated individuals who have performed some
illegal act in society.
a.
stratification
b.
enculturation
c.
acculturation
d.
stigmatization
e.
assimilation
37. Which of the following is the largest ethnic group in the United States?
a.
Hispanics
b.
African Americans
c.
Asian Americans
d.
Native Americans
e.
Native Hawaiians
38. Which of the following terms is used to describe immigrants as they face decisions and form
preferences based on their old or new cultures?
a.
Divergence
b.
Cohort
c.
Conformity
d.
Habitus
e.
Bicultural
39. Neer, a second-generation Asian immigrant, has had a close-knit upbringing. He is not as orthodox as
his family and has adopted the American culture to some extent. He often has to deal with situations
where he has to form preferences based on his Asian culture or American culture. Which of the
following terms best describes Neer’s situation?
a.
Intracultural
b.
Bicultural
c.
Integration
d.
Enculturation
e.
Isolation
40. Which of the following ethnic groups is highly educated and highly affluent compared to the other
minority groups?
a.
Hispanics
b.
African Americans
c.
Asian Americans
d.
Native Americans
e.
Pacific Islanders
41. Which of the following statements is true about the ethnic microculture in the United States?
a.
Hispanics in the U.S. place a high value on social intimacy.
b.
The largest ethnic group in the U.S. is the African-American group.
c.
Asian-Americans are the least affluent compared to the other minority groups.
d.
All Hispanic consumers have identical preferences and tastes.
e.
Asian-Americans are the least educated compared to the other minority groups.
42. A culturally defined group to which a consumer belongs based on resources like prestige, income,
occupation, and education is known as a social _____.
a.
cohort
b.
norm
c.
network
d.
order
e.
class
43. Mental and cognitive structures through which individuals perceive the world based largely on their
standing in a social class is referred to as _____.
a.
habitus
b.
conceptus
c.
status
d.
prospectus
e.
stratum
44. The social class into which a consumer is born into is referred to as his/her _____ status.
a.
achieved
b.
ideal
c.
ascribed
d.
desired
e.
aspired
45. Everyone thinks that Rachel is a lucky girl as she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She is the
heir-apparent to one of the largest conglomerates in the world. This description of Rachel corresponds
best with her _____ status.
a.
achieved
b.
ideal
c.
desired
d.
ascribed
e.
aspired
46. The social class into which a consumer works his/her way into is referred to as his/her _____ status.
a.
achieved
b.
ideal
c.
ascribed
d.
desired
e.
aspired
47. Miles, whose mother is a homemaker, was born into a traditional, middle-class family. Miles worked
hard as a student and graduated from Harvard Law School. Today, he is considered as one among the
elite of Manhattan. This description of Miles corresponds best with his _____ status.
a.
ascribed
b.
desired
c.
aspired
d.
achieved
e.
ideal
48. Ascribed status differs from achieved status in that ascribed status refers to:
a.
consumers who do not aspire to move up the social ladder.
b.
consumers who work their way into a class.
c.
consumers who believe in conspicuous consumption to gain entry into a class.
d.
consumers marked in some way that indicates their place in the society.
e.
consumers born into a social class.
49. In sociology, a marriage that is comprised of people from similar classes is referred to as _____.
a.
polygamy
b.
monogamy
c.
exogamy
d.
polyandry
e.
homogamy
50. When Charles married Candace, everyone agreed that it was a match made in heaven. They were both
doctors who grew up in the countryside with strong traditional values. Such marriages between people
belonging to identical social classes are known as _____.
a.
homogamy
b.
monogamy
c.
endogamy
d.
exogamy
e.
polygamy
51. Which of the following statements is true about the social class microculture in the U.S.?
a.
Every consumer in the social class will exhibit the exact same behaviors and opinions.
b.
Consumers born into a social class have an achieved status.
c.
Social class tends to be a better predictor of purchases that involve symbolic products.
d.
All consumers in a social class will strive to move up the social ladder.
e.
Consumers who work their way into a class have an ascribed status.
52. The division of society into classes that have unequal access to scarce and valuable resources is known
as social _____.
a.
stigmatization
b.
diversification
c.
isolation
d.
assimilation
e.
stratification
53. World of Warcraft has a rather large number of dedicated players online. These gamers come from
different ethnic, demographic, and geographic backgrounds, but they all share the same passion for the
game. This microculture of gamers can be referred to as a(n) _____ microculture.
a.
street
b.
generational
c.
regional
d.
religious
e.
age-based
54. Which of the following is true about the microcultures around the world?
a.
Microcultures consist of a group of people who have distinct values and tastes.
b.
Unlike in the U.S., microculture membership does not affect the value of things in China.
c.
Marketers need to ignore the effects of microculture as they are of no significance.
d.
Street microcultures like sports and fashion exist around the world.
e.
Microcultures are confined to the U.S.
55. Wen, a consumer researcher, is conducting a research on the buying behavior of the Hispanics. As part
of her study, she calculates a consumer’s buying power by relating it to the consumer’s income. The
consumer attributes that Wen employs in her research can best be described as _____.
a.
geographics
b.
demographics
c.
ethnographics
d.
psychographics
e.
orthographics
56. Which of the following is a geodemographic tool that assists consumer behavior analysis?
a.
CPM
b.
PRIZM
c.
BLAST
d.
LDRA
e.
PERT
57. Which of the following types of analysis develops a profile of a consumer group based on relatively
tangible human characteristics such as age, ethnicity, sex, occupation, income, region, religion, and
gender?
a.
Demographic analysis
b.
Ethnographic analysis
c.
Orthographic analysis
d.
Geographic analysis
e.
Psychographic analysis
58. Many young, working couples choose to have just one kid or none at all. These couples hardly have
any responsibilities like saving up for children’s education or securing children’s future. This leaves
them with more than enough money to spend on luxury goods. Most of them enjoy high spending
power and splurge on a lot of luxurious goods. Which of the following trends is reflected in this
scenario?
a.
Declining birthrates
b.
Declining consumer affluence
c.
Increasing life expectancy
d.
Increasing cultural diversity
e.
Increasing population
59. Businesses dealing with planned retirement communities have become profitable as the Baby Boomer
population becomes older. Identify the trend affecting consumer behavior in this scenario.
a.
Declining birthrates
b.
Declining consumer affluence
c.
Increasing life expectancy and the aging consumer
d.
Increasing population
e.
Increasing cultural diversity
BABY BOOMERS SCENARIO
The Baby Boomers represent a generational microculture that has lived the same defining moments in
history such as post-war affluence and progress. A huge percentage of the Baby Boomers have reached
retirement age, but according to a survey, most Americans between the ages of 50 and 55 want to
move on to an “encore career” instead of retiring to a life of leisure like previous generations. Many of
these encore careers combine income with social impact, meaning these individuals want to do
something that can change the world. “Social sector” industry jobs, such as health care, educational
services, nonprofits, performing arts, museums, and libraries, are expected to experience robust growth
in the next decade, fitting nicely with the aspirations of the Baby Boomer generation. Some Baby
Boomers want to get involved with social causes as a way to identify themselves as distinct from their
predecessors. The fact that many of them are now pursuing encore careers would mean that they won’t
have much time to spare in caring for their grandchildren. Their children might be upset because they
expect their parents to help with child care just as their grandparents did for their parents. Many of
these Baby Boomers have lesser number of grandchildren than earlier generations as most of their
children either decide to have no kids or adopt a one-child policy. This makes it possible for their
children to maintain a lifestyle similar to their parents even though most of them are not as affluent or
well-off as their parents. Many firms that provide services for taking care of the elderly are aware of
the spending power of this specific population. The firms are conducting research on the Baby
Boomers to assess their needs based on attributes such as age, income, gender, and religion.
60. Refer to Baby Boomers Scenario. The fact that many of the Baby Boomers are now pursuing encore
careers would mean that they won’t have much time to spare in caring for their grandchildren. Their
children might be upset because they expect their parents to help with child care just as their
grandparents did for their parents. This situation involving conflicting expectations between parents
and grandparents has the potential to create _____ for the grandparents.
a.
external conflict
b.
cognitive dissonance
c.
role conflict
d.
expectation divergence
e.
relational conflict
61. Refer to Baby Boomers Scenario. Some Baby Boomers want to get involved with social causes as a
way to identify themselves as distinct from their predecessors. For example, an individual might get
involved in the National Literacy Campaign to help those who cannot read. Becoming a member of
such groups as a way to assert one’s identity is best described as _____.
a.
divergence
b.
resurgence
c.
emergence
d.
assimilation
e.
stratification
62. Refer to Baby Boomers Scenario. Which of the following would best describe the Baby Boomers as a
generational microculture that has lived the same defining moments in history such as post-war
affluence and progress?
a.
Club
b.
Class
c.
Cohort
d.
Network
e.
Order
63. Refer to Baby Boomers Scenario. Many firms that provide services for taking care of the elderly are
aware of the spending power of this specific population. The firms are conducting research on the
Baby Boomers to assess their needs based on attributes such as age, income, gender, and religion. This
is an example of a(n) _____ analysis.
a.
psychographic
b.
demographic
c.
geographic
d.
orthographic
e.
ethnographic
64. Refer to Baby Boomers Scenario. Many of these Baby Boomers have lesser number of grandchildren
than earlier generations, as most of their children either decide to have no kids or adopt a one-child
policy. This makes it possible for their children to maintain a lifestyle similar to their parents even
though most of them are not as well-off as their parents. Which of the following trends affecting
consumer behavior is illustrated in this scenario?
a.
Declining birthrates
b.
Declining consumer affluence
c.
Increasing life expectancy
d.
Increasing population
e.
Increasing cultural diversity
IMMIGRANT SCENARIO
Anita, a second-generation-Asian immigrant, just started college. A self-assured girl, she displays none
of the self-conscious traits one usually sees in her parents. Unlike Anita, her parents have had it tough
with only enough money to make both ends meet. Till the time Anita was born, they could not afford
to live in any of the respectable residential neighborhoods. Some of the neighborhood authorities make
it mandatory for aspiring residents to submit details like age, ethnicity, sex, occupation, income,
region, religion, and gender. Anita has always seen her parents juggle between two world-views
whenever they had to make up their minds as they try to negotiate between a perceived sense of guilt
for their native country and a perceived sense of loyalty for the host country. Despite their insistence
that she joins an Asian community, Anita joined Delta, a sorority for geometry lovers. She has always
been passionate about geometry and her membership to Delta, not only defines her on-campus
personality, it makes her ‘cool’ in front of her other peers.
65. Refer to Immigrant Scenario. Anita joined Delta, a sorority for geometry lovers. Such sororities are an
example of _____.
a.
macrocultures
b.
collective cultures
c.
universal cultures
d.
microcultures
e.
mainstream cultures
66. Refer to Immigrant Scenario. Anita joined Delta, a sorority for geometry lovers. She has always been
passionate about geometry and her membership to Delta, not only defines her on-campus personality,
it makes her ‘cool’ in front of her other peers. Which of the following terms best describes Anita’s
decision to join Delta?
a.
Isolation
b.
Acculturation
c.
Emergence
d.
Divergence
e.
Resurgence
67. Refer to Immigrant Scenario. Anita has always seen her parents juggle between two world-views
whenever they had to make up their minds, as they try to negotiate between a perceived sense of guilt
for their native country and a perceived sense of loyalty for the host country. Which of the following
terms best describes the negotiation that Anita’s parents deal with?
a.
Intracultural
b.
Integration
c.
Enculturation
d.
Bicultural
e.
Isolation
68. Refer to Immigrant Scenario. Unlike Anita, her parents have had it tough with only enough money to
make both ends meet. Till the time Anita was born, they could not afford to live in any of the
respectable residential neighborhoods. Such residences are affordable for certain groups in society,
while they are unaffordable for certain others. This categorization of people as “those who can afford”
and “those who cannot afford” can best be described as social _____.
a.
diversification
b.
stigmatization
c.
stratification
d.
isolation
e.
assimilation
69. Refer to Immigrant Scenario. Some of the neighborhood authorities make it mandatory for aspiring
residents to submit details like age, ethnicity, sex, occupation, income, region, religion, and gender.
The neighborhood authorities are concerned with the _____ of the aspiring residents.
a.
orthographics
b.
ethnographics
c.
psychographics
d.
demographics
e.
geographics
ESSAY
1. Explain the role of microcultures in influencing consumer behavior. Describe two microcultures that
influence your consumption behavior.
2. Compare and contrast age-based microcultures with generational microcultures. How is this distinction
important to marketers?
3. Describe the six generational microcultures in the United States.
4. Identify the major social classes that have been identified in the United States. What are the difficulties
associated with considering class in consumer behavior?
5. Give some examples of street microcultures in different parts of the world.
6. Define demographics. Discuss its importance with respect to microcultures.
7. List the four major cultural, microcultural, and demographic trends that affect consumer behavior.
Discuss any two of them.
