page_title: Consumer behaviour
section_title: Other topics in consumer behaviour
hierarchical_section_title: Consumer behaviour / Other topics in consumer behaviour
caption_attribution_description: English: Ferrari California at the 2008 Australian International Motor Show.
context_page_description: Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and all the activities associated with the purchase, use and disposal of goods and services, and how the consumer's emotions, attitudes and preferences affect buying behaviour. Consumer behaviour emerged in the 1940s and 50s as a distinct sub-discipline of marketing, but has become an inter-disciplinary social science that blends elements from psychology, sociology, social anthropology, anthropology, ethnography, marketing and economics.
  The study of consumer behaviour formally investigates individual qualities such as demographics, personality lifestyles, and behavioural variables, in an attempt to understand people's wants and consumption. Also investigated are the influences on the consumer, from groups such as family, friends, sports, and reference groups, to society in general, including brand-influencers and opinion leaders.
  Research has shown that consumer behaviour is difficult to predict, even for experts in the field; however, new research methods, such as ethnography and consumer neuroscience, are shedding new light on how consumers make decisions.
context_section_description: In addition to understanding the purchasing decision, marketers are interested in a number of different aspects of consumer behaviour that occur before, during and after making a purchase choice. Areas of particular interest include: risk perception and risk reduction activities; brand switching, channel switching, brand loyalty, customer citizenship behaviours and post purchase behavioural intentions and behaviours, including brand advocacy, referrals, word of mouth activity etc.
caption: The purchase of an up-market sports car carries both financial risk and social risk, because it is an expensive purchase and it makes a highly visible statement about the driver.
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