{"title":"Zoomers and healthcare choices: A study of mental processes of consumer decision‐making in the digital age","authors":"Durga V. Nagarajan","doi":"10.1002/cb.2382","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"This paper investigates the pre‐decisional cognitive dissonance states that guide Generation Z's consumer behavior, with a focus on the healthcare sector. By integrating insights from neurology, cognition, and psychology, the study addresses the lack of understanding regarding the psychological underpinnings of this cohort's rapidly evolving consumption patterns. Key contributions of this research include identifying cognitive heuristic elements, such as latent needs, that trigger pre‐decisional cognitive dissonance. The study empirically demonstrates how these elements influence Generation Z's decision‐making process, particularly in their shift from traditional allopathic healthcare to alternative and complementary medicine. The data, collected from 35 Indian Zoomers, reveal that this cohort relies heavily on internal cognitive cues and self‐driven information processing to make healthcare choices. This study establishes a new framework for consumer decision‐making, highlighting the role of cognitive dissonance in navigating information overload and selective exposure. Overall, the research provides valuable insights into the psychological and cognitive factors driving Generation Z's healthcare decisions, offering a robust foundation for marketers and healthcare providers to develop more effective strategies tailored to this influential consumer segment.","PeriodicalId":48047,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Consumer Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Consumer Behaviour","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2382","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This paper investigates the pre‐decisional cognitive dissonance states that guide Generation Z's consumer behavior, with a focus on the healthcare sector. By integrating insights from neurology, cognition, and psychology, the study addresses the lack of understanding regarding the psychological underpinnings of this cohort's rapidly evolving consumption patterns. Key contributions of this research include identifying cognitive heuristic elements, such as latent needs, that trigger pre‐decisional cognitive dissonance. The study empirically demonstrates how these elements influence Generation Z's decision‐making process, particularly in their shift from traditional allopathic healthcare to alternative and complementary medicine. The data, collected from 35 Indian Zoomers, reveal that this cohort relies heavily on internal cognitive cues and self‐driven information processing to make healthcare choices. This study establishes a new framework for consumer decision‐making, highlighting the role of cognitive dissonance in navigating information overload and selective exposure. Overall, the research provides valuable insights into the psychological and cognitive factors driving Generation Z's healthcare decisions, offering a robust foundation for marketers and healthcare providers to develop more effective strategies tailored to this influential consumer segment.
本文研究了引导 Z 世代消费行为的决策前认知失调状态,重点关注医疗保健领域。通过整合神经学、认知学和心理学的见解,该研究解决了人们对这一群体快速演变的消费模式的心理基础缺乏了解的问题。这项研究的主要贡献包括确定了引发决策前认知失调的认知启发式要素,如潜在需求。研究通过经验证明了这些因素是如何影响 Z 世代的决策过程的,尤其是在他们从传统的对抗疗法保健转向替代和补充医学的过程中。从 35 名印度 Zoomers 收集到的数据显示,该群体在做出医疗保健选择时非常依赖于内部认知线索和自我驱动的信息处理。这项研究为消费者决策建立了一个新的框架,强调了认知失调在信息过载和选择性接触中的作用。总之,这项研究为我们深入了解推动 Z 世代医疗保健决策的心理和认知因素提供了宝贵的见解,为营销人员和医疗保健提供商针对这一具有影响力的消费群体制定更有效的策略奠定了坚实的基础。
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Consumer Behaviour aims to promote the understanding of consumer behaviour, consumer research and consumption through the publication of double-blind peer-reviewed, top quality theoretical and empirical research. An international academic journal with a foundation in the social sciences, the JCB has a diverse and multidisciplinary outlook which seeks to showcase innovative, alternative and contested representations of consumer behaviour alongside the latest developments in established traditions of consumer research.