{"id":61,"date":"2019-02-02T02:07:25","date_gmt":"2019-02-02T07:07:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/introconsumerbehaviour\/chapter\/needs-wants-goals\/"},"modified":"2021-06-01T17:34:13","modified_gmt":"2021-06-01T21:34:13","slug":"needs-wants-goals","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/introconsumerbehaviour\/chapter\/needs-wants-goals\/","title":{"raw":"Needs, Wants, and Goals","rendered":"Needs, Wants, and Goals"},"content":{"raw":"Every New Year, many of us make resolutions \u2014 or goals \u2014 that eventually go unsatisfied: eat healthier; pay better attention in class; volunteer, exercise more. As much as we know our lives would improve if we actually achieved these goals, people quite often don\u2019t follow through. But what if that didn\u2019t have to be the case? What if every time we made a goal, we actually accomplished it? Each day, our behaviour is the result of countless goals \u2014 maybe not goals in the way we think of them, like lifting the heaviest weights or being the first person to land on Mars. But even with \u201cmundane\u201d goals, like getting food from the grocery store, or showing up to work on time, we are often enacting the same psychological processes involved with achieving loftier dreams. To understand how we can better attain our goals, let\u2019s begin with defining what a goal is and what underlies it, psychologically.\n

Goals<\/h1>\nA\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"221\"]goal[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> is the cognitive representation of a desired state, or, in other words, our mental idea of how we\u2019d like things to turn out (Fishbach & Ferguson 2007;\u00a0Kruglanski, 1996). This desired end state<\/em> of a goal can be clearly defined (e.g., stepping on the surface of Mars), or it can be more abstract and represent a state that is never fully completed (e.g., eating healthy). Underlying all of these goals, though, is [pb_glossary id=\"230\"]motivation[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, or the psychological driving force that enables action in the pursuit of that goal (Lewin, 1935).\n\nMotivation can stem from two places. First, it can come from the benefits associated with the process of pursuing a goal ([pb_glossary id=\"226\"]intrinsic motivation[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>). For example, you might be driven by the desire to have a fulfilling experience while working on your Mars mission. Second, motivation can also come from the benefits associated with achieving a goal ([pb_glossary id=\"220\"]extrinsic motivation[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>), such as the fame and fortune that come with being the first person on Mars (Deci & Ryan, 1985). One easy way to consider intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is through your eyes as a student. Does the student work hard on assignments because the act of learning is pleasing (intrinsic motivation<\/em>)? Or does the student work hard to get good grades, which will help land a good job (extrinsic motivation<\/em>)?\n

Needs & Wants<\/h1>\nConsumer behaviour can be thought of as the combination of efforts and results related to the consumer's need to solve problems. Consumer problem solving is triggered by the identification of some unmet [pb_glossary id=\"232\"]need[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>. A family consumes all of the milk in the house; or the tires on the family car wear out; or the bowling team is planning an end-of-the-season picnic: these present consumers with a problem which must be solved. Problems can be viewed in terms of two types of needs: physical (such as a need for food) or psychological (for example, the need to be accepted by others).\n\nAlthough the difference is a subtle one, there is some benefit in distinguishing between needs and wants. A need is a basic deficiency given a particular essential item. You need food, water, air, security, and so forth. A [pb_glossary id=\"238\"]want[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> is placing certain personal criteria as to how that need must be fulfilled. Therefore, when we are hungry, we often have a specific food item in mind. Consequently, a teenager will lament to a frustrated parent that there is nothing to eat, while standing in front of a full refrigerator.\n\nMost of marketing is in the want-fulfilling business, not the need- fulfilling business. Apple does not want you to buy just any watch, they want you to want to buy<\/em> an Apple Watch. Likewise, Ralph Lauren wants you to want<\/em> Polo when you shop for clothes. On the other hand, a nonprofit such as the Canadian Cancer Association would like you to feel a need for a check-up and does not care which doctor you go to. In the end, however, marketing is mostly interested in creating and satisfying wants.\n

Utilitarian & Hedonic Needs<\/h2>\nOften discussion around needs are further explained in the context of those which are [pb_glossary id=\"237\"]utilitarian[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> (practical and useful in nature<\/em>) and [pb_glossary id=\"222\"]hedonic[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> (luxurious or desirable in nature<\/em>). Consumers satisfying their utilitarian needs will be more price sensitive than consumers seeking to satisfy hedonic needs who will justify high(er) prices due to the infrequency in which they would purchase a luxury item. [pb_glossary id=\"215\"]Cognitive dissonance[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, or consumer guilt, is more likely to be associated with hedonic purchases than utilitarian ones.\n
\n\nDistinguishing Features Between Utilitarian Needs and Hedonic Needs<\/strong>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Table that lists sample items for utilitarian\/hedonic needs<\/caption>\n
Utilitarian Needs<\/th>\nHedonic Needs<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Goods consumer for practical and useful purposes<\/td>\nGoods consumer for luxury purposes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Daily use objects<\/td>\nHighly desireable objects<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Items purchased routinely<\/td>\n\u00a0Items purchased infrequently or on rare and special occasions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Consumers seek to meet basic and most pressing needs<\/td>\nConsumers seek to feel pleasure, fun, enjoyment, thrill, and\/or excitement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Grocery items, gas<\/td>\nSpa treatments, jewellery<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Prevention & Promotion Orientation<\/h1>\nResearch also distinguishes between two distinct self-regulatory orientations (or perceptions of effectiveness) in pursuing a goal: prevention and promotion.\n\nA [pb_glossary id=\"234\"]prevention[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> emphasizes safety, responsibility, and security needs, and views goals as \u201coughts.\u201d That is, for those who are prevention-oriented, a goal is viewed as something they should <\/em>be doing, and they tend to focus on avoiding potential problems (e.g., exercising to avoid health threats). This self-regulatory focus leads to a vigilant strategy aimed at avoiding losses (the presence of negatives) and approaching non-losses (the absence of negatives).\n\nOn the other hand, a [pb_glossary id=\"235\"]promotion[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> focus views goals as \u201cideals,\u201d and emphasizes hopes, accomplishments, and advancement needs. Here, people view their goals as something they want<\/em> to do that will bring them added pleasure (e.g., exercising because being healthy allows them to do more activities). This type of orientation leads to the adoption of an eager strategy concerned with approaching gains (the presence of positives) and avoiding non-gains (the absence of positives).\n\nTo compare these two strategies, consider the goal of saving money. Prevention-focused people will save money because they believe it\u2019s what they should be doing (an ought), and because they\u2019re concerned about not having any money (avoiding a harm). Promotion-focused people, on the other hand, will save money because they want to have extra funds (a desire) so they can do new and fun activities (attaining an advancement). Although these two strategies result in very similar behaviours, emphasizing potential losses will motivate individuals with a prevention focus, whereas emphasizing potential gains will motivate individuals with a promotion focus. And these orientations \u2014 responding better to either a prevention or promotion focus \u2014 differ across individuals (chronic regulatory focus) and situations (momentary regulatory focus; Higgins, 1997).\n
\n

Brands Applying Prevention or Promotion Orientations<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n

\n\nMarketing Professional Farah Khan, says every marketer needs to understand that different consumers can respond differently to the same marketing strategy (Khan, 2015). How? The difference lies in how we perceive goals in relation to our personal values and believes (Khan, 2015). Prevention Orientation\u2014or as Khan calls it, \"Play to not lose\" seeks ways to stay safe and secure; while Promotion Orientation\u2014or \"Play to win\"\u2014is all about risk and advancement.\n\nPrevention Orientation: Avoiding Negative Outcomes<\/strong>\n\nMarketers tailor their messages to consumers in order to appeal to their unique approaches to achieving goals. For example, consumers who are largely motivated to avoid harm\/losses, act responsibly, and minimize damage, may be drawn to brands such as the ones below, which use persuasive messaging to highlight the avoidance of negative outcomes:\n