Psychographic Profiles Research Articles

Psychoneurotic and Psychopathic Personalities of Polydrug Abusers and Effects of Didactic Instruction

An investigation into the use of psychometric assessment instruments to produce psychographic profiles which proved superior to the use of individual measures on drug accepting versus drug rejecting age generational gaps is appropriate when considering drug and alcohol education programs. Clinical studies show that polydrug abusers have many psychoneurotic and psychopathic traits which can be measured through valid personality tests. Cuevas (1989), employed the Western Personality Inventory (Manson 1963) to identify individuals whose behavior and personality structure indicated they were polydrug users or had serious polydrug problems. The instrument revealed that a combinative process utilizing comparison groups from known polydrug abusers as a discriminant analysis technique with controls provided a high degree of accuracy. A high degree of precision in prediction was maintained in validation trials on independent samples. The personality characteristics and traits were extracted from a combination of commonly ordered personality tests. Results of the investigation indicate that clinical usage of the screening procedure is readily available without sophisticated computer support or the need for trained psychometricians. Additional results identified the process as interventive, therefore providing a simple way to produce early didactic preventive instruction.

Beyond demography: A psychographic profile of the workforce

AbstractThis article examines the life and work attitudes of a national sample of the US workforce surveyed in 1990. It presents a model of work‐ and nonwork‐related factors impinging on attitudes and the impact of these factors on high levels of cynicism found in the workforce today. The survey results show a strong correspondence between people's general perceptions of society, leadership, and the motives of other people and more specific views of their own organization, managers, and co‐workers. Analyses detail the spread of cynicism among demographic segments of the workforce, considering age, race, social class, gender, occupation, and organization type. Concluding sections highlight strategies that companies such as Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Caterpillar Tractor, and others have followed to counter cynicism in their workforce.

An Alternative to Demographic Segmentation

A study was conducted to determine the psychographic profile of purchasers of health and beauty aids (HBAs). A total of 400 shoppers from 2 regional shopping malls were interviewed to determine their psychographic profiles via the List of Values (LOV) 9-point scale: self-respect, security, warm relationships with others, sense of accomplishment, self-fulfillment, sense of belonging, being well respected, fun and enjoyment in life, and excitement. The survey also assessed respondent level of HBA purchases for a one-month period through identification of products and amount of money spent. Site of purchase and reason for site selection were determined, and demographic data were obtained. Fre-' quencies are reported, along with a chi-square analysis. Responses were grouped into categories based on the number of HBA product purchases per person in an average month: light, medium, and heavy purchase levels. Significance was observed between the LOV scale and the number of HBA items purchased at all levels with...

Application of the List of Values Alternative Psychographic Assessment Scale

A study was conducted to evaluate the use of the List of Values (LOV) method of assessing consumers' psychographic profiles. The LOV is a public domain scale composed of nine value-items on which consumers select the value with which they most identify, including, self-respect, security, warm relationships with others, sense of accomplishment, self-fulfillment, sense of belonging, being well-respected, fun and enjoyment, and excitement. A total of 400 shoppers at two regional shopping malls were interviewed and their primary psychographic profiles assessed using the LOV scale. The LOV scale was simple to administer and was well received by respondents. Consumers who valued self-respect, being well-respected, and a sense of belonging were more likely to purchase more health and beauty aids than those with other psychographic profiles.

APPLICATION OF THE LIST OF VALUES ALTERNATIVE PSYCHOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT SCALE

A study was conducted to evaluate the use of the List of Values (LOV) method of assessing consumers' psychographic profiles. The LOV is a public domain scale composed of nine value-items on which consumers select the value with which they most identify, including, self-respect, security, warm relationships with others, sense of accomplishment, self-fulfillment, sense of belonging, being well-respected, fun and enjoyment, and excitement. A total of 400 shoppers at two regional shopping malls were interviewed and their primary psychographic profiles assessed using the LOV scale. The LOV scale was simple to administer and was well received by respondents. Consumers who valued self-respect, being well-respected, and a sense of belonging were more likely to purchase more health and beauty aids than those with other psychographic profiles.

Mobility as an influence on retail patronage behavior of the elderly: Testing conventional wisdom

While the marketplace potential of the elderly segment is tremendous, research with regard to what influences the elderly’s patronage behavior has, to date, been inconclusive. This article attempts to determine the effect lack of transportation mobility has on various patronage behaviors. The research reported here is based on a large national smaple of the elderly and incorporates the factors suggested by previous research. The study shows mobility is not a significant influence on the type of retail store frequented, but can influence switching patronage between stores of a given type. Additionally, it was found that mobility is related to the elderly’s psychographic profiles, convenience needs, and information source usage.

Working versus nonworking wives' psychographic profiles: A longitudinal analysis

This article examines the proposition that working and nonworking wives' psychographic profiles related to the purchase, preparation, and consumption of food items may have changed during the recent years. With the use of economic conditions, marketing efforts, and general sociological changes during the past few years, postulates are developed that suggest converging, diverging, or paralleling psychographical profiles. With the use of data collected in 1980 and 1986, these postulates are examined and implications provided accordingly.

Targeting of Fund‐raising Appeals — How to Identify Donors

How the application of multivariate analysis can aid charities in improving their fund raising appeals is demonstrated. Using a major UK charity as an example and analysing the socio‐demographic, awareness and psychographic profiles of nearly 500 respondents, the scope for market segmentation and a priori identification of potential donors is explored.

Psychographic and Demographic Profiles of State Lottery Ticket Purchasers

Data from a national mail panel are used to develop psychographic and demographic profiles of heavier, lighter, and nonpurchasers of state lottery tickets. The research is limited to the sixteen states that offered a lottery at the time the study was completed. The resulting profiles indicate that each of the groups has identifiable characteristics. The findings tend to dispel some of the stereotyped characteristics of lottery players—that they are poor, uneducated, and unemployed.

Employment Orientation's Influence on Lifestyle and Evaluative Criteria for Apparel

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of female consumers' employment orientation on lifestyle and evaluative criteria of apparel. Employ ment orientation—a person's attitude toward employment outside of the home—was classified into four distinct segments: Career‐Oriented Working Women, Just‐a‐Job Working Women, Plan‐to‐Work Housewives, and Stay‐at‐Home Housewives. A random sample of 2,000 female consumers, ages 25–44, was sent questionnaires resulting in a 45 percent (n = 842) return rate. Principal Compo nents Factor Analysis with Varimax Rotation was used to reduce the number of lifestyle and evaluative criteria items to 11 factors. Analysis of Variance was per formed to determine if influence did occur. Employment orientation did signifi cantly influence lifestyle and evaluative criteria. The four employment orientation groups differed significantly on lifestyle and on the evaluative criteria used in selecting social apparel. In addition, female consumers were segmented into four distinct groups each with its own demographic and psychographic profile. Segmentation by employment orientation provided a richer and more accurate marketing framework than previous consumer profiles, reaffirming that women's employment orientation does change them as consumers and therefore as a target market.

Understanding the outshopper

What type of consumer foregoes the convenience of hometown shopping and travels to out-of-town markets to purchase goods? This question continues to be the subject of much interest to marketers. The research reported in this article replicates and extends the growing body of intermarket patronage literature. Specifically, this article analyzes the demographic and psychographic profiles of inshoppers, occasional outshoppers, and frquent outshoppers. In addition, the importance of eight shopping area attributes are compared across the three intermarket patronage segments.

Identifying the energy conscious consumer: The case of the opinion leader

The present study was undertaken to identify a demographic and psychographic profile of opinion leaders in an energy related context. The study found significant differences across opinion leadership groupings on the variables of interest.

A Demographic and Psychographic Assessment of a Specialty Store's Customers and Non-Customers

The purpose of the study was to identify demographic and psychographic profiles of customers and non-customers of a retail specialty store. Objectives were to determine (1) the characteristics of the customers and (2) the combination of characteristics that could be used to discriminate customers from non-customers. A revised version of an instrument prepared by Walter K. Levy Associates was employed. Questionnaires were mailed to a randomly selected sample of 600 customers and 600 non-customers. Of the 760 questionnaires returned, 459 were usable—273 from customers and 186 from non-customers. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to analyze the data. A set of 24 variables described the characteristics of the customers and non-customers. One variable was concerned with shopper viewpoint, 13 with store image, 6 with shopper behavior, 1 with media preference and usage, and 3 with demographic characteristics. The discriminant function was highly accurate in predicting which respondents were customers and which were non-customers. In the pseudo-jackknifed classification procedure, the 24 variables successfully classified 85 percent of the 459 respondents.

Psychographic profiles: aid to health care marketing.

Psychographic data contribute to health care promotion by providing a marketing tool for the health care manager. A complete knowledge of the patient populations' characteristics provides the health care manager with answers to many patient needs. Health care facilities can change or strengthen staff to meet consumer expectations thanks to the information provided by psychographic data.

Life Style and the Daily Paper: A Psychographic Profile of Midwestern Readers

Life Style and the Daily Paper: A Psychographic Profile of Midwestern Readers

Mapping market mobility: Psychographic profiles and media exposure

Are there households in trading areas that have unique mobility predispositions? Can mobility types be monitored? And does mobility type relate to the life style and consumption patterns of households? This study examines the mobility and life style characteristics of suburbanites in a medium-sized city in an effort to discover the answers to these and other questions. In particular, the article suggests that mobility relates to life style and media usage, which in turn largely determines the quality of consumer demand and the most efficient media to reach such a market. If the composition of mobility types within a shopping area is changing, retailers should monitor these changes so that they can better predict retail demand—both quality and quantity. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to measure (1) the mobility characteristics of consumers—including their local moves, long-distance moves, and their predisposition to move; (2) the life styles and socioeconomic characteristics of consumers; and (3) the median exposures of households. The instrument was administered by personal interviews with 322 suburban housewives within a medium-sized trading area. The usage sample included 304 cases. The data support the hypotheses of the study; mobility types emerged from the analysis and these had distinctive life styles and media habits. Periodic sampling of households is suggested as an approach to monitoring mobility composition within the trading area.

Dimensions of consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction with services: The case of electric utilities

This paper reports the results of research designed to explore the dimensions of consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction with various aspects of electric utility company performance and to develop psychographic, demographic, political orientation and media usage profiles of these satisfied/dissatisfied persons. Distinct differences between the two groups emerged which are not totally consistent with previous findings about consumers dissatisfied with tangible products. Directions for future research are suggested.

Cross‐Cultural Analysis of Market Profiles of Domestic and Foreign Travellers

Discusses the growing importance of tourism which has prompted governments and travel organisations to conduct additional research on the travel and holiday habits of their own citizens and foreigners. Explains that this article's purpose is to identify the foreign traveller with respect to both demographic and psychographic profiles. Confirms the study was undertaken in a cross‐cultural setting to test the ability of these profiles to portray national differences that may exist between foreign travellers. Reports the findings strongly support the notion that psychographic variables are needed o distinguish the foreign traveller from the domestic traveller in a meaningful way. Uses a sample from questionnaires of travellers conducted in the USA and Finland from spring 1977 — the US sample was a random one of 401 from 2,200; and in Finland 307 people were used making 60%. Goes on to discuss the relative results from these. Sums up that foreign and domestic‐only travellers may be similar in their socio‐economic profiles but distinctly different in their psychographic patterns.

Predicting market behavior: Are psychographics really better?

Research efforts exploring the benefits of life style variables over the more traditional market descriptors have for the most part ignored the question of prediction. If, as has been suggested, psychographics offer the researcher all of the advantages of demographic description combined with the richness and dimensionality of psychological characteristics and depth research, then they should prove to be superior predictors of market behavior. This research examines the predictive ability of life style variables in comparison to more traditional predictor variables in a service market. Using a random example of 1000 applicants for selected bank services, a psychographic profile was constructed through factor analysis. Psychographic, demographic, and combined models were developed with discriminant analysis to predict patterns of bank credit card usage. Results show life style variables to be excellent predictors of user patterns, superior to demographic variables.

Psychographic profiles of media usage segments

Although the specific guidelines suggested by this study are interesting, perhaps the most significant conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that audiences of the various media do exhibit distinct psychographic characteristics. While the psychographic profiles of media audiences presented here are insufficient for completely guiding advertisers in the complex tasks of developing and coordinating creative and media strategies, these results may be useful in future research dealing with psychographic dimensions of media audiences. Hopefully, this will reduce the exploratory work needed in subsequent research which will ultimately provide advertising managers with a more complete characterization of audiences for the various media.