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Consumer Psychology (PSY - 514)

LESSON21

SUBCULTURE

CHAPTER 4: ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES

Understanding:

· Sub cultural Analysis

· Nationality Structure

Subculture

The members of a specific subculture possess beliefs, values and customs that set them apart from other members

of the same society. In addition they adhere to most of the dominant cultural values, and behavioral patterns of the

larger society.

Subculture is defined as a distinct cultural group that exists as an identifiable segment within a larger, more

complex society

Cultural Profile of a Society

Cultural Profile of a society or nation is composite of two distinct elements:

1. Unique beliefs, values and customs subscribed by members of specific of sub cultural groups

2. Central Core cultural themes shared by most of the population regardless of specific sub cultural

memberships

Thus the cultural profile of the Pakistani Society may be denoted by the sub-cultures of the country's four

provinces as denoted by the figure below

In this way a young girl of Pakistan may simultaneously be:

· Student of Engineering

· Muslim Middleclass (Buying Power)

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Consumer Psychology (PSY - 514)

Lahori

Sub cultural Analysis

Sub cultural Analysis enables marketers to focus on sizable and natural market segments. Marketers must

determine whether the beliefs, values and customs shared by the members of a specific subgroup make them

desirable candidate for special marketing effort.

Subcultures therefore are relevant units of analysis for market research and these subcultures are dynamic for

example different ethnic groups of the Pakistani population have been changing and will continue to change in

size and economic strength in the coming years.

Examples of major sub cultural categories may be as following:

Examples

Categories

Nationality

Pakistani, Afghani, Irani

Religion

Hindu, Muslim, Christian, etc.

Geographic Region

Punjab, NWFP, Sindh, Balochistan

Age

Teenager, Elderly

Gender

Female, Male

Occupation

Govt. Servant, Private Job

Social Class

Lower, middle, Upper

Nationality and ethnic subcultures develop in order to serve their members in three ways:

To provide a source of psychological group identification

To offer a patterned network of groups and institutions supportive of the subculture

To serve as a frame of reference through which to evaluate the dominant culture.