Society and brain: A complementary approach to Thorstein Veblen’s conspicuous consumer based on Tibor Scitovsky’s neuropsychology

Abstract: The goal of this study is to complement Thorstein Veblen's conspicuous consumer approach to economics with Tibor Scitovsky's neuropsychological analysis. This is undertaken by exploring the psychological basis of both theories. Veblen's conspicuous consumer emulates the leisure class, which consumes what can be understood as the best goods of a society. These goods are associated with the concept of social satisfaction rather than physical satisfaction. Veblen's conspicuous consumer decision making is introduced here according to insights from the American pragmatic school of philosophy. On the other hand, Scitovsky introduced elements of neuropsychology to economics using an interdisciplinary approach that was understandable to economists as he sought a better comprehension of consumers' decision making. Scitovsky's psychological-economics approach was inspired by studies from Daniel Berlyne and Donald Hebb. In considering Scitovsky's approach, this study contributes to understanding the decision making of Veblen's conspicuous consumer.

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Understanding the Link between Consumer Decision Making Style and Perceived Risk in Online Business

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.204-210.1082 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 204-210 ◽

pp. 1082-1085

Author(s):

Wei Wei Yu ◽

Kun Feng Fu ◽

Gao Fang Cao ◽

Ji Hong Li ◽

Bin Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Online Shopping ◽

The Other ◽

Consumer Decision Making ◽

Consumer Decision ◽

Daily Lives ◽

Other Hand ◽

Online Business ◽

The Relationship

online shopping is becoming more and more common in our daily lives. There are many studies in this field, in which perceived risk is proved to be a very important factor when people considering online business. But the relationship between perceived risk and consumer decision making style has not been studied yet. We use SEM to find out the link between perceived risk and consumer decision making style. As a result, we found fashion and brand style can reduce perceived risk, on the other hand perfect and customary style can increase perceived risk.

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The Persuasion Process of Sponsorship and Nonsponsorship Activation and the Dual Mediation Model

Event Management ◽

10.3727/152599519x15506259855878 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 235-252 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vanessa Quintal ◽

Matthew Tingchi Liu ◽

Fahri Unsal ◽

Ian Phau

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Purchase Intention ◽

The Other ◽

Consumer Decision Making ◽

Mediation Model ◽

World Cup ◽

User Perspective ◽

Consumer Decision ◽

Global Brands ◽

The Us

The current study introduces the Dual Mediation Model (DMM) as a user perspective framework to explore the persuasive process of sponsorship and nonsponsorship activation across countries and brands. Data were collected from 1,850 respondents in Australia, the US, Malaysia, and China to examine consumer decision making for Adidas (i. e., sponsor) and Nike (i. e., nonsponsor) in the associations both brands have activated with the 2002–2014 FIFA World Cup (FWC). The majority of the hypotheses were supported, suggesting the DMM's ability to explain the impacts of sponsorship and nonsponsorship activation on cognitive, affective, and conative behavior across countries. Significant differences were also perceived in the attitude–purchase intention relationship between Australia and the other countries for Adidas, and between the US and the other three countries for Nike. Theoretically, the DMM presents researchers with a user perspective framework for the persuasion process in consumer decision making, which has been empirically tested and validated across four countries and two global brands. Managerially, findings reiterate to event organizers and brand managers that sponsorship activation requires activational communication, which should culminate in unique positioning and differentiation for sponsor brands.

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