INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY TRAITS ON THE EXPLORATORY BEHAVIOR OF CONSUMERS Study with Reference to Impulsiveness, Self Concept and Ethnocentrism An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

In consumer behavior research, exploratory tendencies are important determinant of buying behavior. Influencing customers’ perception regarding product purchase decision making is becoming imperative for organizations to sustain competitive advantage. As a result, the critical challenge before marketers is to understand how consumers’ personality trait influences their exploratory behavior. This paper empirically examines the model proposed by the author, where the influence of impulsiveness, self concept and ethnocentrism on exploratory tendencies of consumers among a sample of 350 Youth (Management graduates) of Central States of India was tested by dividing the data into two samples, namely, research sample (200) and validation sample (150). The study shows that self concept and impulsiveness is positively related to exploratory behavior whereas ethnocentrism is negatively related to it. This study contributes to the theory and practices of Marketing and HR in an integrated way. Key Words: Exploratory tendencies, Optimum stimulation level, Impulsiveness, Self Concept, Ethnocentrism, Decision Making, Youth.