LESSON 1 Types of Goals

Goals are the sought-after results of

UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER MOTIVATION motivated behavior. All behavior is goal oriented.
 Motivation as a Psychological Force Generic goal is the general classes or categories
 Positive and Negative Motivation of goals that consumers see as means to fulfill
 Success and Failure Influence Goals their needs. If a student tells his parents that he
 The Trio of Needs wants to become a medical doctor, he has stated
a generic goal. If he says he wants to get an M.D.
degree specialist in Internal Medicine, he has
MOTIVATION AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL FORCE expressed a product-specific-goals, that is, the
Human needs-consumer needs- are the specifically branded products and services that
basis of all modern marketing. Needs are the consumers select for goal fulfillment. Another
essence of marketing concept. The key to a types of goals are as follows: Ideals which
company’s survival, profitability and satisfy represent hopes, wishes, and aspirations while
unfulfilled consumer needs better and sooner Oughts which represents duties, obligations, and
than the competition. responsibilities.
Marketers do not create needs, though in The study showed that people concerned
some instances they make consumers more with ideals relied more on feelings and affects in
keenly aware of unfelt needs. Successful evaluating advertisements, while people more
marketers define their markets in terms of the concerned with oughts relied more heavily on the
needs they presume to satisfy, not in terms of the substantive and factual contents of ads.
products they sell. This is a market-oriented,
rather than a production-oriented approach to Interdependence 0f Needs and Goals
marketing. A marketing orientation focuses on the Needs and goals are interdependent;
needs of the seller. neither exist without the other. However, people
The marketing concept implies that the are often not as aware of their needs as they are
manufacturer will make only what it knows people of their goals.
will buy; a production orientation implies that the For, example:
manufacturer will try to sell whatever it decides to A teenager may not consciously be aware
make. of his social needs but may join a number of chat
Motivation is a driving force within groups online to meet new friends.
individuals that impels them to action. This driving A person not may not consciously be aware of a
force is produced by a state of tension, which power need but may choose to run for public
exists as the result of an unfulfilled need. office when an elective position becomes
Individuals strive both consciously and available.
subconsciously to reduce this tension through Individuals are usually somewhat more
behavior that they anticipate will fulfill their needs aware of their physiological needs than they are
and thus relieve them of the stress they feel. The of their psychological needs. Most people know
specific goals they select and the pattern of action when they are hungry, thirsty, or cold, and they
they undertake to achieve their goals are the take appropriate steps to satisfy these needs. The
results of individual thinking and learning same people may not consciously be aware of
their needs for acceptance, self-esteem, or
Two Types of Human Needs status. They may, however, subconsciously
Every individual has needs: some are engage in their behavior that satisfies their
innate, others are acquired. Innate needs are psychological (acquired) needs.
physiological (i.e. biogenic); they include the
needs for food, water, air, clothing shelter, and POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE MOTIVATION
sex. Because they are needed to sustain Motivation can be positive and negative in
biological life, the biogenic needs are considered direction. We may feel a driving force toward
primary needs or motives. (positive) some objects or condition or a driving
Acquired needs are needs that we learn force away (negative) from some objects or
in response to our culture or environment. These condition.
may include needs for self-esteem, prestige, For example: a person may be impelled
affection, power, and learning. Because acquired toward a restaurant to fulfill a hunger need, and
needs are generally psychological (i.e. away from motorcycle transportation to fulfill a
psychogenic), they are considered secondary safety need.
needs or motives. They result from the Some psychologists refer to positive drives as
individual’s subjective psychological sate and needs, wants, or desires and to negative drives
from relationship with others. as fears or aversions. However, although positive
and negative motivational forces seem to differ
dramatically in terms of physical (and sometimes A TRIO OF NEEDS
emotional) activity, they are basically similar in
that both serve to initiate and sustain human 1. Power – it relates to an individual’s desire to
behavior. control his or her environment. It includes the
need to control other persons and various
Rational Versus Emotional Motives objects. This need appears to be closely
Some consumer behaviorists distinguish related to the ego need, in that many
between so called- rational motives and individuals experienced increased self-esteem
emotional motives. when they exercise power over objects other
In a marketing context, the term people.
rationality implies that consumers select goals 2. Affiliation – is a well-known and well-
based on totally objective criteria such as weight, researched social motive that has far-reaching
price, or miles per gallon. Emotional motives
influence on consumer behavior. This need
imply the selection of goals according to personal
or subjective criteria (e.g. pride, fear, affection or suggests that behavior is strongly influenced
status). by the desire for friendship, for acceptance,
for belonging. People with high affiliation
The Dynamics of Motivation needs tend to be socially dependent on
Motivation is a highly dynamic construct others. They often select goods they feel will
that is constantly changing in reactions to life meet with the approval of friends.
experiences. Needs and goals change and grow 3. Achievements – individuals with a strong
in response to an individual’s physical condition, need for achievement often regard personal
environment, inter-actions with others, and accomplishments as an end in itself. It is
experiences. Some of the reasons why need- closely related to both the egoistic need and
driven human activity never ceases include the self-actualization need.
following:
1. Many needs are never fully satisfied;
they continually impel actions
designed to attain or maintain
satisfaction.
2. As needs become satisfied; new and
higher -order needs emerge that
cause tension and induce activity.
3. People who achieve their goals set
new and higher goals for themselves.

SUCCESS AND FAILURE INFLUENCE GOALS

Goal selection is often a function of
success and failure. Individuals who successfully
achieve their goals usually set new and higher
goals for themselves. People who do not reach
their goals sometimes lower their level of
aspirations. When an individual cannot attain a
specific goal that he or she anticipates will satisfy
certain needs, behavior may be directed to a
substitute goal. Failure to achieve a goal often
results in frustration. Regardless of the cause,
individuals react differently to frustrating
situations. Some people manage to cope by
finding their way around the obstacle or if, that
fails, by selecting a substitute goal.

Others are less adaptive and may regard

their inability to achieve as a personal failure.
Such people are likely to adapt a defense
mechanism to protect their egos from feeling of
inadequacy.