CB: Session5 Motivation as a Psychological Process

Why do we buy?

Need is the important core concept of marketing. In 1943, Abraham Maslow has given a theory called as “Need Hierarchy Theory”. He has identified five levels of needs. Lower level needs are more generic, whereas upper level needs are more psychological. The theory also supports that only if the lower level need is satisfied, upper level needs will arise. 

There are many other classifications of need. Innate needs are generic and acquired needs are generated needs. Like craving for food when hungry is innate need, but longing to buy a car is acquired need.

Need once generated acts as psychological drive towards its fulfilment. Here it is very important to discuss the role of marketers. Marketers can act as a force to make individuals realise a particular need and also helps them with a solution to satisfy that.

Companies put in a lot of effort in understanding consumer needs through motivational research. On the other hand, some companies believe that instead of satisfying needs, they should create needs. There are some successful examples like Apple’s Ipad.

Think of some product and services for innate needs vs acquired need.

How does it work?

As need is generated, individuals strives to fulfil that need. The need then translates into goals. Human mind is in a state of tension until he attains that goal. Motivation can be described as the driving force within individuals that impels them to action. 

The Goals

The goals are sought after result of motivated behaviour. Depending upon individuals, goals can be generic, as can be fulfilled by any purchase, like eating whatever is available when hungry. But some goals are product specific, i.e. only a particular brand or category can fulfill them. For example, you want to eat in Mcdonald's or Subway and plan according. Goal fulfil also largely depends upon individual personality and situational factors.

The goal can be towards approach object, i.e. the positive goal toward which behavior is directed. Sometime when the goal is move away from a condition or object it is referred to as an avoidance object. Because both approach and avoidance goals are the results of motivated behavior, most researchers refer to both simply as goals.












Dr Batra's marketing strategy reflect both objects. Approach objects are their hair care products like shampoo and conditioners and avoidance object is the treatment to hair loss condition.

The Dynamics of Motivation 

Motivation is a highly dynamic construct. Consumer motivation constantly change in reaction to life experiences. These life experiences also results in needs and goals are constantly growing and changing.  As individuals attain their goals, they develop new ones. If they do not attain their goals, they continue to strive for old goals or they develop substitute goals. 

Needs Are Never Fully Satisfied

Most human needs are never fully or permanently satisfied. Temporary goal achievement does not adequately satisfy the need. That is the excellent opportunity to marketers. They keep on changing designs and features to influence consumers. The new entrants also emphasis on becoming a change agent.

New Needs Emerge as Old Needs Are Satisfied

Some motivational theorists believe that a hierarchy of needs exists and that new, higher-order needs emerge as lower-order needs are fulfilled. This phenomenon is explained by Abraham Maslow in his Need Hierarchy theory. Second home marketers in India, are motivating consumers to own a holiday home is an example of such stimulating new needs.

Success and failure influence goals

Researchers have concluded that individuals who successfully achieve their goals usually set new and higher goals for themselves. Individuals raise their levels of aspiration. The effects of success or failure on goal selection have implications for marketers. To begin with consumers prefer goals should be reasonably attainable.Marketers should show ads than should not promise more than the product can deliver.

The basic product category, for example, a camera for immature focus on the basic characteristics of camera and the ease to use. Marketer should under promise and over deliver so that it result in successful purchase and delight to use.

Substitute Goals

It is very common that a consumer may not attain a goal.  This may be due to a lack of money, ability, desire, or accessibility.  In this instance, the consumer often substitutes a different goal to reduce the tension created from the existence of this need.  In time, this substitute goal might replace the initial goal.  For instance,diet conscious individuals substituting diet  regular food over  diet versions, like low fat curd,  diet chocolate, diet aerated drinks and soft drinks are very popular and some some people they have become the primary goal.

Frustration

Failure to achieve a goal often results in feelings of frustration. Individuals react differently to frustrating situations. Some people are adaptive and manage to cope by finding their way around the obstacle or, if that fails, by selecting a substitute goal. Some people are less adaptive and may regard their inability to achieve a goal as a personal failure and experience feelings of anxiety. Products may represent creative responses to the concept of frustration. For example, Zipouch makes vacuum sealing bags that can enable consumers to store so many things for longer duration.

Defense Mechanisms

People who cannot cope with frustration often mentally redefine the frustrating situation in order to protect their self-image and defend their self-esteem. People sometimes adopt defense mechanisms to protect their egos from feelings of failure when they do not attain their goals. Reaction to the frustration of not being able to reach goal attainment can take many forms, such as aggression, rationalization, regression, withdrawal, projection, daydreaming, identification, and repression. Marketers often consider the protection of self-esteem by consumers when selecting advertising appeals. The ads (appeals) often portray a person resolving a particular frustration through the use of the advertised product.

Types and Systems of needs

Reference: Schiffman & Kanuk