Sosiale motiewe en stereotipering in verbruikers se keuse van groot elektriese toerusting

Abstract

This was an exploratory and descriptive study of the role of social motives and consumer stereotyping in selected upcoming consumers' choice of large electrical household appliances. Symbolic interactionism served as a perspective to the study, combined with a cognitive approach. A qualitative research strategy was followed using unstructured interviews and projective techniques as datacollecting techniques. The sample consisted of two black, upcoming, female subjects from a higher-middle- income group. Both had first-hand experience with electricity in their homes. The results of this study indicated that family and friends, as significant others, influenced the subjects' choice of large electrical household appliances. The subjects learned the perspectives of their aspiration reference groups (people from the higher socioeconomic groups) through symbolic interaction. These perspectives directed their acquisition of large electrical household appliances. They apparantly formed stereotypes of members of the higher socioeconomic groups and allocated certain symbolic meanings to them, based on visual, conspicuous characteristics such as their ownership of large electrical household appliances. Social motives seemed to guide the subjects’ choice of large electrical household appliances. The subjects seemed to be under the impression that their large electrical household appliances - beyond having a definite functional purpose - portrayed symbolic meaning about themselves.