| The various aspects of social psychology | | | | curiosity, purchasing behaviour and |
| could be examined within the wide concepts of | | | | purchasing frequency and demographic |
| intelligence, gender, advertising, consumer | | | | variables such as age and gender. |
| culture, stress and psychological issues that | | | | Contemporary consumer culture could be |
| define society. Considering consumer | | | | studied in relation to an excessive emphasis |
| behaviour, social psychology uses convincing | | | | on beauty and appearance and an obsession |
| theories to explain addictive consumption, | | | | with youth, a phenomenon that has seen an |
| the influence of advertising and the | | | | increased dependence on cosmetic surgery. The |
| phenomenon of purchasing. Advertising is seen | | | | increased importance of the body in the |
| as a subtle psychological manipulation as it | | | | consumer culture could be studied along with |
| creates desires and anxiety in the potential | | | | the significance of appearance in modern |
| consumers (Papers4you.com, 2006).Advertising | | | | society, the role of marketing and |
| can have both psychological and commercial | | | | advertising images, and the psychological |
| aspects including misattribution, bias, | | | | need for self-expression (Papers4you.com, |
| suggestibility, and could be studied from | | | | 2006).Social psychology is however focused |
| global or local perspectives. Organisational | | | | not just on consumption and public attitudes |
| consumption is seen as different from | | | | on advertising, but also on group behaviour, |
| individual consumption although generic | | | | general individual and collective attitudes |
| psychological theories of human motivation | | | | towards various social issues including war, |
| such as that of Maslow and Freud can explain | | | | work, violence and quality of life. This |
| consumer behaviour. However consumer | | | | would in turn explain how individuals deal |
| behaviour can also be studied in terms of the | | | | with stress, and focus on the psychological |
| notion of quality and its relation to | | | | consequences of stress. Although |
| customer satisfaction (Silva et al, 2005).The | | | | psychological disorders may in some cases be |
| objective measures of customer needs, pricing | | | | a direct result of social stress, deviant |
| and expectations of the customers may have to | | | | behaviour in society could be explained with |
| be analysed within Service Quality or | | | | the help of several theories such as the |
| Expectations models. Hogg and Garrow (2003) | | | | theory of subcultures by Parker, the |
| highlighted on the psychological aspects of | | | | structural strain theory by Merton, or the |
| gender and the influence on consumption of | | | | theory of conformity. Social psychology is |
| advertising. Advertising has been found to be | | | | thus focused on explaining a wide range of |
| processed and interpreted differently | | | | issues from advertising and consumer behavior |
| according to gender schemas and perceptions. | | | | to public attitudes on social issues and |
| This would in turn relate to psychological | | | | antisocial behaviour.BibliographyHogg M.K.; |
| theories of gender such as the theory of | | | | Garrow J. (2003) Gender, identity and the |
| biological determinism, Freudian theory of | | | | consumption of advertising Qualitative |
| personality development, | | | | Market Research: An International Journal, |
| cognitive-developmental theory, and feminist | | | | Volume 6, Number 3, June, pp. |
| theories.Bridging the gap between gender | | | | 160-174(15)Orth, Ulrich R.(2005) Consumer |
| studies and gender differences in consumption | | | | personality and other factors in situational |
| could provide us with new insights on social | | | | brand choice variation The Journal of Brand |
| and psychological aspects of consumer | | | | Management, Volume 13, Number 2, November, |
| behavior. Orth (2005) indicated that consumer | | | | pp. 115-133(19)Papers For You (2006) "P/M |
| behaviour largely depends on consumer | | | | 510. Advertising: means of psychological |
| personality and susceptibility to | | | | manipulation", Available from [22/06 |
| interpersonal influence, consumer situational | | | | 2006]Papers For You (2006) "P/M/646. |
| disposition such as risk taking and | | | | |