Journal of Marketing Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice Home Editors Advisory Board Editorial Board Contributors Subscriptions Table of Contents Summer 1999, Vol. 7, No. A Review and Proposed Typology Diane Halstead, The University Of Tennessee at Chattanooga 27 An Action-Based Theory of Persuasion in Marketing G. Ray Funkhouser, Ft.
Interpersonal influences are a key explanatory variable in many marketing applications.
While individuals are frequently directed in their product choice and usage by referent others and may conform to these directions to gain group acceptance, our knowledge about the conformity pressures exerted in the marketplace is relatively limited. The purpose of this study is to explore conformity by examining the multitude of factors that predispose individuals to conform to the influence of others. A theoretical model of conformity is advanced, and applications of conformity theory to marketing practice are suggested . This paper reviews the conceptualization, measurement, and empirical findings related to the use of alternative comparison standards in consumer satisfaction research. Evidence suggests that the type of comparison standard determines the nature of its relationship with satisfaction.