SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGY AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

 "To Analyze and explain how the actual, imagined, or inferred presence of other human beings influences the ideas, feelings, and behaviour of individuals" is what social psychology is all about. Social psychology is primarily concerned with discovering how a person's behaviour is influenced by the social setting in which it happens. 

Consumer behaviour is defined as "the mental and social cycles individuals go through in the acquisition, use, and removal of things," according to certain definitions. Customers purchase products to achieve a specific goal. Objectives are desired outcomes that are thought to be attainable. Customers buy items for the sole purpose of utilising the capacity they should fulfil in a narrow utilitarian sense. Customers, on the other hand, buy most items not only for their utilitarian value, but also to convey something about themselves to others; they serve as an identity function. For example, some people prefer a pricey Rolex over a $25 Timex digital watch that will keep time just as well and possibly better. People use "obvious usage" to indicate wealth, but they also use it to tell something about their character and how they regard themselves.

consumer behaviour should reveal:

•What customers think and feel about various alternatives  (brands, products, etc) 

•What influences consumers' decision-making; Consumer behaviour while researching and shopping;

•Consumer behaviour is influenced by their environment (friends, family, media, etc.).

•Different elements frequently influence consumer behaviour. Consumer purchase patterns and buyer trends should be studied by marketers.

A product's excessive importance may be due to its brand. The convictions and assessments associated with a brand name are reflected in the brand image. The "brand personality," a collection of human attributes that individuals associate with a brand, is an aspect of this image. These brand personality traits reflect the stereotypical image of the typical brand client, which is influenced by advertising as well as our interactions with people who use the brand. These stereotypical images have a symbolic or esteem-expressing function. The stereotypical Mini or BMW driver has characteristics that set them apart from the average Mercedes or Volvo owner. There is evidence that the congruence between the brand's visible character and the purchaser's self-idea influences a buyer's attitude toward a specific brand. Consumers gravitate toward brands with features that align with their own mental self-perception. 

What makes social psychology such an important field of study? Social psychologists research issues such as substance abuse, criminality, discrimination, domestic violence, public health, bullying, and antagonism that have a significant impact on both individual well-being and societal health.

Although social psychologists do not often work directly in the field of mental health, their results have an impact on how mental health professionals treat socially influenced behaviours. For example, public health campaigns commonly employ social psychologist-identified persuasion techniques to persuade people to adopt healthy habits while avoiding potentially dangerous ones.