Customs and Norms How is it defined Customs
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Customs and Norms • How is it defined? • Customs - A practice or way of behaving that is expected in a social system • Norms - A practice or way of behaving that is usual, typical, or standard • What are the impacts? • Defines how important things work in a society • Tells people what to do or how to behave in a given situation • Varies greatly across cultures • When is it used or not used? • When maintaining relationships that fit within a society or culture • When participating in rituals such as weddings or graduations • Example: The groom stands on the right, the bride stands on the left
Cultural Values • How is it defined? • Standards of good or bad commonly held in a society • What are the impacts? • Defines what are important things in a society • Tells people what they should aspire to or consider ideal • Varies greatly across cultures • When is it used or not used? • When maintaining relationships that fit within a society or culture • When developing communication and products that support consumers desires and position among reference groups • Example: Americans consider hard work to be a good, admirable thing
Socialization • How is it defined? • Acquiring attitudes, knowledge, and skills as consumers • What are the impacts? • Determines what processes consumers have learned to follow • May be established patterns consumers seek to follow or break • Fits with marketing through family and primary influencers • When is it used or not used? • An on-going process with consumers whether or not a marketer chooses to participate • May be an important consideration for marketers with long-term or whole-family interests • Example: Children learn to become adults through socialization
Social Class • How is it defined? • Distinctions based on wealth, status, and economic circumstances • What are the impacts? • A relatively permanent stratification based on societal values • Generally ranges for low to high with wealth, family background, education, and source of income primary variables • Relatively stable stratification for individuals and families • When is it used or not used? • Defines the types of products that will be acceptable to certain groups • Used relatively more politically than marketing of tangible goods • Example: Wealthy people supported by investments they own are considered upper class, skilled workers are considered middle class, and dependent poor are considered lower class
Subcultures • How is it defined? • A group within a culture with beliefs or interests different from the larger culture as a whole • What are the impacts? • A relatively transient stratification based on individual interests • Depends on a persons interests and interest affiliations • People may move in and out of subcultures and be part of none, or several • When is it used or not used? • Not the same, very different, from social class • When marketers want to reach a specific lifestyle interest pursuit, such as bikers • Example: People who are part of motorcycle gangs are considered to be part of a subculture
Summary of Learning Upper Class • Royalty and Wealthy living on investments • High-Income Educated workers Middle Class • Educated workers • Skilled workers Lower Class • Unskilled workers • Dependent poor
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