Title: Values and social identity of students and working-class consumers: antecedents to normative and informative brand influences of Indian small-town consumers

Authors: Arpita Khare, Viveka Nand Tripathi

Addresses: LDC-ITS, 9, J.L. Nehru Road, George Town, Allahabad 211002, Uttar Pradesh, India. ' Department of Psychology, University of Allahabad, U-S 405, Harit Kunj, 25 Panna Lal Road, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract: The consumers| susceptibility to influence is affected by their values and need for social identity. Based upon previous research, the determinants affecting Indian small-town consumers| normative and informative influences were studied. The assumption was that values and collective self-identity would play a pivotal role in the consumption behaviour of two social classes of consumers (students and working class; n = 200). Correlation, t-test and multiple regression analysis were administered to compare the values, social identity and susceptibility to interpersonal influences of the two groups. The results suggest that students and working-class consumers in small towns differ significantly with respect to their values and social identity, affecting normative and informative influences.

Keywords: list of values; collective self-identity; normative influences; informative influences; small-town consumers; India; social identity; students; working-class consumers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2011.042911

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2011 Vol.4 No.6, pp.626 - 643

Published online: 31 Jan 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article