Quiz 14: Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour

In many ways, culture can be thought of as a society's: A) conscience. B) personality. C) libido. D) aesthetic side.

A cultural system consists of three functional areas: A) ecology, archeology, and ideology. B) social structure, race, and partisanship. C) ideology, environment, and social structure. D) ecology, social structure, and ideology.

The concept of the nuclear family would fit into which aspect of culture? A) ecology B) social structure C) hierarchy D) ideology

The way in which a system is adapted to its habitat is termed: A) ecology. B) social structure. C) ideology. D) ethos.

A set of moral and aesthetic principles is termed: A) ecology. B) social structure. C) ideology. D) ethos.

Eleanor was working with an architect to design her home. She visited many show homes and noted that they all had a dining room, eat-in kitchen, and chairs at the kitchen island. Although Eleanor eats out a lot, she wanted to make sure she followed: A) with convention. B) the custom. C) the mores of the times. D) the culture.

Marketers need to ensure they adapt to culture values and are sensitive to stay away from: A) enacted norms. B) crescive norms. C) mores. D) taboos.

Canada's culture emphasizes personal enjoyment, excitement, equality, and freedom. These are associated with a(n) ________ cultural dimension. A) assimilative B) collectivist C) co-operative D) individualist

Japanese culture differs from American culture in terms of which core values? A) Japanese culture prioritizes cleanliness over personal wealth. B) Many Japanese would rather endure deprivation than risk personal safety. C) Child safety is rated more important than economic power in Japanese culture. D) Many Japanese are happy to trade off some independence for safety.

Marika claims her culture is high in power distance. What best describes what she means? A) Her culture has a greater degree of societal inequalities. B) Her culture distances its powerful individuals from political power. C) Her culture puts a lot of effort into maintaining social norms. D) Her culture believes that power should be controlled so as to maintain stability.

When James says Morocco has short-term orientation, he means that Morocco: A) is orientated toward future rewards such as thrift. B) has set a number of 5-10 year political objectives. C) respects past traditions and fulfilling its social obligations. D) lives only for the present.

Cross-culturally speaking, a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity is referred to as: A) individualism/collectivism. B) uncertainty avoidance. C) masculinity/femininity. D) power distance.

Cross-culturally speaking, the degree to which gender roles are clearly delineated is referred to as: A) individualism/collectivism. B) uncertainty avoidance. C) masculinity/femininity. D) power distance.

Cross-culturally speaking, the extent to which the welfare of the individual versus that of the group is valued is referred to as: A) individualism/collectivism. B) uncertainty avoidance. C) masculinity/femininity. D) power distance.

Cross-culturally speaking, the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally is referred to as: A) individualism/collectivism. B) uncertainty avoidance. C) masculinity/femininity. D) power distance.

Taiwan's culture values subordination of personal goals for those of a stable in-group. These are associated with a(n) ________ culture. A) assimilative B) collectivist C) co-operative D) individualist

Enacted norms are rules that are: A) those norms that involve violating a custom. B) begun at a monumental time, such as a graduation. C) forced upon people through laws. D) explicitly decided upon by members of a culture.

Which of the following would best describe a norm? A) Norms are the laws of a culture. They are behaviours that are so important that they are written into law. B) Norms are so "normal" to a group that even small children can describe them in detail to outsiders. C) Norms are the universal behaviours that set us apart as humans irrespective of the culture a person happens to live in. Norms allow persons to understand at least parts of other cultures. D) A norm is what is considered normal within a group. Norms are so taken for granted that most people don't know what their norms are until they see one violated.

Where you stand in a crowded elevator is an example of a ________, while your reluctance to marry your first cousin is a ________. A) convention; custom B) custom; convention C) convention; more D) more; convention

J. P. Stevens always looks perfect in his business suit. The colours are always right for the season and prevailing style. His tie has the proper knot, he does not wear a tie-tac, his handkerchief is the proper "two-fingers" above the pocket, and his socks and shoes do not distract from his "overall look." With respect to crescive norms, which of the following forms of norms does J. P. seem to be adhering to with his "correctness"? A) enacted behaviour B) customs C) mores D) conventions

Every March 1st the Welsh celebrate St. David's Day. This is an example of a(n): A) ecology. B) social structure. C) ideology. D) custom.

In China, Cadbury Schweppes makes its Cadbury milk chocolate less milky and less sweet than in North American markets. This reflects paying attention to a(n): A) ritual. B) superstition. C) food culture. D) implicit belief.

Power distance refers to a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity.

Individualism/collectivism refers to the extent to which the welfare of the individual versus that of the group is valued.

Crescive norms are those that have been explicitly agreed upon by members of a culture.

The custom of eating haggis on Robbie Burns Day in Scotland is an enacted norm.

Culture, a concept crucial to the understanding of consumer behaviour, may be thought of as a society's personality.

Culture includes both abstract ideas, such as values or ethics, as well as material objects, such as automobiles or art.

Once a culture is established it doesn't change. An apparent change in a culture is simply the emergence of a new culture.

A culture must possess an ideology in order to exist.

Ethos refers to the ideological area of culture that consists of a set of moral and aesthetic principles.

A cultural system can be said to consist of three functioning areas. What does the ecology component refer to?

A cultural system can be said to consist of three functioning areas. What does the social structure component refer to?

A cultural system can be said to consist of three functioning areas. What does the ideology component refer to?

Define culture and give a brief description of how it is viewed in relation to products.

A cultural system consists of three functional areas. What are they? Give a brief explanation of each.

What is the difference between enacted and crescive norms? Give an example of the latter.

What is the difference between a custom and a more?

If you were designing a new chocolate dessert for China, what might you alter, if anything, compared to a North American market?

You are opening a Western fast-food franchise in India. Based on the recent experiences of McDonald's, what products might you choose to avoid, or major in, and why?

What is power distance?

What is uncertainty avoidance?

How do cultures that differ on the dimension of masculinity/femininity differ?

How do cultures that differ on the dimension of individualism/collectivism differ?

Every culture is different. According to Hofstede, much of this variability can be accounted for by five cross-cultural values. Name them and describe why this information is of importance to marketers.

Describe the difference between an enacted norm and a crescive norm. Indicate forms that the crescive norm may take.

Manuel attended his best friend's wedding. At the ceremony he was handed a program as he entered and at the dinner every place setting had a fridge magnet to take home with a picture of the bride and groom on it. Manuel received a ________ respectively. A) memento and gift B) presentation and gift C) ritual script and ritual artifact D) personal rituals

An ad that is based on the classic struggle between virtue and temptation draws on a(n): A) metaphysical equation. B) parable. C) myth. D) allegory.

Which of the following statements best describes what a myth is? A) A myth is a fiction that large numbers of people in a culture believe to be true. B) A myth is a story that people like because it separates those in the know from those who are not culturally aware. C) A myth is a story containing shared cultural symbolic meaning. The story may literally be true or false, but it conveys some cultural truth. D) A myth is an old story that has been around so long that everyone in a culture can relate to it through shared memories.

The story goes that George Washington (as a small child) cut down his father's cherry tree with a hatchet. When asked who might have committed this act (even though young Washington was afraid of punishment for the act), George replied, "I cannot tell a lie; I cut down the cherry tree." This story has taken on mythical proportions in the United States and is designed to provide a model for personal conduct. Which of the following functions would the myth best match? A) metaphysical B) cosmological C) sociological D) psychological

________ postulated that myths involve binary opposition in which two opposing ends of some dimension are represented. A) Levi-Strauss B) Freud C) McDonald D) Bettelheim

A type of myth in which a hero emerges from the everyday world with superhuman powers, wins a battle over evil, and then returns with the power to bestow good things on humanity is called a: A) more. B) monomyth. C) paradise legend. D) metaphysical myth.

A myth is a story containing symbolic elements that expresses the shared emotions and ideals of a culture.

In the non-Christian world, the story of Adam and Eve would be considered a Christian metaphysical myth.

In terms of what influences of human behaviour, researchers and philosophers constantly argue between the influences of nature and nurture. A story that included these concepts would be said to involve binary opposition.

What is a myth? Give an example.

What are the four interrelated functions myths serve in culture?

How can a myth be true and false at the same time?

Define monomyth. Give an illustration.

Gina wakes up, brushes her teeth, takes a shower, dresses for work, puts on make-up, grabs a breakfast drink, briefcase, and her phone as she catches her bus to the office. This is called: A) a group ritual. B) binary opposition. C) a cultural ritual. D) preparing for battle.

Emily was looking online for something she could use to thank her assistant for all the extra overtime he had been putting into their last project. What stage of the gift-giving ritual is Emily in? A) reformation B) structural gestation C) presentation D) emergent gestation

Patterns of behaviour that emphasize underlying symbolic meanings or social values are called: A) habits. B) addictions. C) consumptive roles. D) rituals.

Friday is pay day, so friends always meet for drinks after work. This is an example of a: A) custom. B) ritual. C) rite. D) norm.

Ritual artifacts are: A) the "props" of rituals; items used in performance of a ritual. B) substitutes for ritual participation. C) used in consumer rituals but not other kinds of rituals. D) a set of instructions that tell how the ritual is to be conducted.

Sidney went to court to fight his speeding ticket. This is an example of what type of ritual? A) rite of passage B) cultural C) civic D) personal

Mealtimes, bedtimes, and birthdays are all associated with the ________ ritual type. A) civic B) group C) family D) personal

Nathalie has very long hair, and brushes it fifty strokes in the morning and another fifty at night to keep it looking beautiful. She is performing a: A) cultural act. B) personal ritual. C) family ritual. D) directed sacralization.

The "before and after" phenomenon of grooming rituals underscores the: A) fact that beliefs about appearance are just marketing hype. B) almost mystical qualities of transformation we come to associate with the power of rituals. C) illusory and artificial nature of beauty. D) differences between rituals and rites of passage.

Researchers primarily see the gift-giving ritual as one of: A) symbolic exchange. B) psychological exchange. C) economic exchange. D) guilty exchange.

Which of the following correctly identifies the three stages of gift-giving rituals? A) gestation, emergent, and presentation B) gestation, presentation, and termination C) emergent, structural, and reformulation D) gestation, presentation, and reformulation

People buying Christmas presents is based on what kind of event? A) ideological B) forced C) structural D) emergent

Sharon is upset with her secretary. Though everyone in the office agreed not to give Christmas presents this year, Sharon's secretary gave her an expensive bottle of perfume. Which of the following terms most likely describes Sharon's feelings of concern? A) cheapskate B) self-serving C) reciprocity norm D) role transference

Carlos, while out shopping for a birthday gift for his wife, decides to buy himself a watch that he has been eyeing for a few months. This is an example of: A) a transference reaction. B) self-gifting. C) relationship equality. D) a gifting ritual.

Among holidays, Halloween is unusual in that: A) it lacks rituals altogether. B) its rituals are somewhat opposite of more traditional holidays; an antifestival. C) it is the only holiday that uses costumes. D) it is the only holiday celebrated at night.

David went to the mall to buy some jeans for himself when he saw that all the decorations were up for the winter holiday season. While he was there he thought he could get a head start and see if he could find some things for his nephews. What stage of the gift-giving ritual is David in? A) reformation B) structural gestation C) presentation D) emergent gestation

Special times or events marked by a change in the social status of the participants are referred to as: A) rites of passage. B) antifestivals. C) purification rituals. D) mortification rituals.

Which of the following includes the three stages of a consumer's rites of passage? A) separation, liminality, and aggregation B) separation, luminosity, and consubstantiation C) separation, de-individuation, and socialization D) separation, liminality, and acculturation

Jessica had been working hard all week at work and made her boss's deadline for completion of the quarterly report. That meant after work on Friday she was heading to the spa for a well-earned massage. This is an example of: A) reformation. B) a business ritual. C) regifting. D) self-gifting.

Dirk undergoes a rite of passage when he joins the military. Within weeks of signing the relevant papers, he leaves for boot camp. This stage is termed: A) separation. B) embarkation. C) liminality. D) aggregation.

Arriving at boot camp for his basic training, Dirk must find his way around and adjust to his new life. This stage is termed: A) embarkation. B) liminality. C) aggregation. D) acculturation.

Carl Thorne has just passed the final test to become a member of a college fraternity. This rite of passage has moved Carl from being an individual to being a member of a bonded group. When Carl receives his fraternity pin in a final ceremony and joins his new brothers, he will have passed through the final stage. According to the text, what would this final stage be called? A) finality B) liminality C) aggregation D) acculturation

Rituals are much more likely to be practised in primitive societies than in modern ones.

When a woman "puts on her face," she is demonstrating binary opposition by using her personal ritual to transform herself to a more socially acceptable look.

During the presentation stage, the process of the gift exchange can be viewed as structural or emergent.

Ron is considering giving his girlfriend a lawn mower for a gift. Discuss the potential pros and cons of this idea.

Could rituals serve as a segmentation variable? Explain your answer, including a specific example if you believe so.

Using two types of binary oppositions, use beauty products to illustrate how marketers might appeal to each opposition.

Discuss Halloween as an example of an antifestival.

Profane consumption involves: A) exaggerated habits. B) extraordinary events. C) pornographic products. D) ordinary consumer objects.

Many types of consumer activity involve the marking of boundaries, or binary opposition, such as good versus bad, regular versus low-cal, etc. Objects or events that are set apart from normal activities and treated with some degree of respect or awe are called: A) religious. B) awesome. C) sacred. D) extraordinary.

Which of the following is an example of a sacred place? A) a Hard Rock Café B) a cliff from which one can often see a beautiful sunset C) walking through the forest on a spring day D) Ground Zero in Manhattan (9/11)

The Pope would be an example of a(n): A) cultural convention. B) sacred person. C) cultural object. D) reciprocity symbol.

Thelma collects unusual salt and pepper shakers. Recently she purchased a set shaped like leeks. When she returned home she placed them with the rest of her collection in their special room. They became: A) objectified. B) sacralized. C) contaminated. D) desacralized.

When something once considered sacred becomes more commonplace, even mass-produced, we say that a process of ________ has occurred. A) desalinization B) desacralization C) delineation D) contamination

Bob is a lover of antiques. Each Saturday he visits the local garage sales where he gets great finds. His house is full of his finds. He can be termed a: A) stockpiler. B) collector. C) hoarder. D) compiler.

Fans may wish to own something that was once owned by Elvis Presley, and if successful, they may value the object as sacred. This is a result of a process known as: A) guilt by association. B) de-mystification. C) illumination. D) contamination.

A phaser from the original Star Trek show, Archie Bunker's chair from All in the Family, and one of John Lennon's guitars are all examples of how common objects can take on sacred meaning through a process known as: A) collection. B) prioritization. C) objectification. D) acculturation.

Profane consumption involves use of vulgar objects such as pornography.

Souvenir reproductions of the Eiffel Tower or the CN Tower are examples of profane objects.

Explain the difference between sacred and profane consumption.

When Parker marketed a ballpoint pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to say, "It won't leak in your pocket and embarrass you." The translation actually said, "It won't leak in your pocket and make you pregnant." Parker could have prevented this error by utilizing: A) business rituals. B) the etic perspective. C) desacralization. D) back-translation.

Tessa is keen to use light blue as the background for the company's new ad campaign in Southeast Asia. Neil thinks this is a bad idea. Why? A) The colour blue will be too breezy for a serious electronic product. B) Light blue is a symbol of death in South East Asia. C) Light blue will clash with the purple detailing on the product they are selling. D) Light blue is an off-putting colour to men.

________ plays an important role in cross-cultural analysis because distinct meanings are assigned to things such as colours, numbers, and gestures across different cultures. A) A monomyth B) Back-translation C) Symbolism D) The etic perspective

The fact that, in China, the colour red is viewed positively, being associated with joy and good fortune, is an example of a symbol.

Raymond and Erstil are planning on taking their successful European product line, Earth-Glow, into the Japanese market. In terms of language issues, what should they make sure they do and why?

How are cultural symbols relevant for marketers?

P&G's "Being a Girl" offers the same content to consumers is 40 countries. This is an example of a(n): A) transtheoretical perspective. B) etic perspective. C) emic perspective. D) niche strategy.

When marketers focus on the commonalities across cultures, they are using a(n): A) transtheoretical perspective. B) etic perspective. C) emic perspective. D) niche strategy.

When marketers focus on the differences between cultures, they are using a(n): A) transtheoretical perspective. B) etic perspective. C) emic perspective. D) niche strategy.

When Disney made the gates to Disney Hong Kong feng shui compatible, they were using a(n): A) transtheoretical perspective. B) etic perspective. C) emic perspective. D) niche strategy.

In order to examine the degree to which consumers of two or more cultures are different or similar in terms of psychological, social, and cultural factors, a ________ should be conducted. A) cross-cultural analysis B) time-series research design C) longitudinal study D) market analysis

Consumers who see the global success of a brand as a signal of quality and innovation are referred to as: A) global dreamers. B) global citizens. C) antiglobals. D) global agnostics.

Consumers who are skeptical that transnational companies deliver higher-quality goods are referred to as: A) global dreamers. B) global citizens. C) antiglobals. D) global agnostics.

Consumers who don't base purchase decisions on a brand's global attributes are referred to as: A) global citizens. B) antiglobals. C) global agnostics. D) global sceptics.

When Disney Land Hong Kong used elements of feng shui in elements of their design, they were taking an etic perspective.

When countries are different on certain dimensions, it might be appropriate to use a more individualized marketing approach.

You have a product that is likely to be of interest to a youth market. You are thinking of expanding your product to a number of new countries. Should you take an etic or emic approach and why?

What is a cross-cultural analysis?

What is the notion of world view and why is it important to global brands?

What is a global dreamer?

What is a global agnostic?

What is an antiglobal consumer?

Explain the difference between an etic and an emic perspective. Which one is preferable for marketers and why?

________ occurs when foreign influences integrate with local meanings. A) Back-translation B) Creolization C) Cross-cultural analysis D) Global analysis

As the global consumption ethic spreads, rituals and product preferences in different cultures become homogenized.

Juan wears Abercrombie and Fitch and Levi's most days, despite living in Buenos Aires. What is this an example of?

What is creolization? Give an example.