MEASUREMENT OF MOTIVATION IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR- MEASURING MOTIVES
It is not easy to measure human motives. The attempts made earlier proved to be too complex. Apart from the practical difficulties involved in putting people into an activity wheel. The very idea of measuring human motivation through activity is ridiculous. The main reason is that at the human level, there can motivate inactivity as well as Unmotivated activity.
It is true that in human beings motivation shows a high degree of complex. This complexity has necessitated the development of a variety of tools and techniques measuring : motivation. Taking this problem into consideration, psychologists have develop a variety of tools serving different purposes.
The two approaches to the measurement of human motives are:
(a) Direct measurement, and
(b) Indirect measurement.
When motives measured directly through objective observation, approach is the “Direct Measurement of Motives”. This approach also includes conscious self —reports, administering questionnaires, and inventories assess specific motives as required by the observer. To measure the drink like hunger, thirst, many gadgets have been derived. These gadgets have a precise quantitative measure of the level of deprivation, physiological changes accompanying the drive and some behavioural changes, as a whole. In these types of measures, the tools are basically structured and responses classified into predetermined categories.
Some psychologist rejected the, concept of “direct approach” of measuring motivation. They have opined that motives cannot be measured directly, can be inferred through certain indirect means. Hence, they use projective techniques for the measurement of motivation. In these techniques, the stimuli are deliberately made somewhat ambiguous in nature and the organism is free to give the responses he wishes. Popular projective techniques used to asses motives are ink-blots, pictures, incomplete sentences, and ambiguous figures. Chances of faking are less in this case, because the individual does not know what kind of demands are being made of him. In this test, he is more likely to project his own needs and motives into responses.
The most popular projective technique used by experts in motivational arch is Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). This test was originally introduced by Morgan and Murray in 1935
The TAT test consists of a series of pictures about which the person is asked to write stories. These stories are analyzed and coded as motives, needs, wishes, and desires etc., which are assumed to have been projected by the respondent into characters in the pictures.
No doubt, the studies on motivation invited many criticisms later on. Despite flaws, the plethora of studies in the area has opened avenues for human beings to understand themselves.
TECHNIQUES FOR MEASUREMENT OF MOTIVATION IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
PRIMARY DATA
The original performed by individual researchers or organisations to meet specific objectives. The design of research study is based on the purpose of the study. If descriptive information is needed, then the qualitative study is likely to be under taken. If the purpose is to get new ideas, then the qualitative study is undertaken. The qualitative and quantitative researches are discussed as follows :
Qualitative Research
In qualitative research, there are three way of collecting primary data :
- Depth Interviews.
- Focus/discussion groups
- Projective techniques
Depth Interviews: This is an unstructured discussion between interviewer and respondent and are best carried out by trained experienced interviewers. The aim is to Obtain the maximum amount of useful information form the respondent on a particular aspect of topic with minimum help or intervention from the interviewer. It is necessary to select the respondents with care so to obtain good information.
Depth interviews are particularly useful during the early stages of the development of a product (or brand) or when new product ideas have to be obtained.
- Focus Groups: Focus groups are similar to depth interviews; the main difference is that the discussion involves a group of seven to ten respondents unlike depth interviews where the discussions are on a one-on-one basis. These groups are sometimes called discussion groups and the researcher taking the leading role in the group is known as the moderator or facilitator. Much of the discussion takes place among the group members. The role of the facilitator is to ensure that the discussion evolves around the research topic only. They direct the group whenever required but limit their involvement as much as possible.
Focus group members are usually pre-selected to reflect a cross section of the intended target audience to the basis of their creative abilities.
Such group discussions are useful for generating new ideas and under certain circumstances they are useful in solving difficult problems (suitable techniques are ‘brain storming’ and symectics)
- Projective Techniques: This set of techniques are similar to those used by clinical psychologists, in order to understand a person’s hidden ‘attitudes’, ‘motivation’ and ‘feelings’. While being used in a consumer research, it is used to understand consumer’s knowledge in association with a particular product or brand.
(i) Word Association
Here respondents are presented with Series of words or phrases and asked to say the first word which comes to their mind. For example, “What is the first word or phrase you will associate with each of the following:
(a) Tooth paste……
(b) Coffee…………
(c) Soft drink………
(d) Ice cream……..
(e) Watch……….
This method is helpful to check whether the proposed product names have undesirable associations (in terms of culture and cultural values)
(ii) Sentence completion
The beginning of a sentence is read out to the respondent and he or she is asked to complete it with the first word that comes to the mind. For instance, “people who don’t prefer to eat fast food joints are……..
- Third Party Technique: Here respondents are asked to describe a third person about whom they have little information. This method is useful in determining attitudes of the respondents.
- Thematic Apperception Test: Under this technique, the respondents are shown an ambiguous picture or drawing or fill in a blank ‘speech bubble’ associated with a particular character in an ambiguous situation and then asked to interpret the same. This test helps in understanding the underlying perception of the respondents towards the various aspects (price or quality etc.) of the product.
- Repertory Grid (Rep Grid): Respondents are presented with a grid and asked to title the columns with brand names or various types of a particular product (say, tastes of various soft types of two wheelers etc.). Then they are asked to select any three of these products and think of a phrase which will describe the way in which any two are different from the third. This description will be used as the title of a row and each of the other products are rated accordingly. By repeatedly selecting and describing the items, the researcher will be able to find the way in which the respondent perceives the market. Such information can be used for identifying consumer attitudes towards various products and also in planning the promotion techniques.
(iii) Role Playing
Respondents are asked to visualise that they are product (car, TV., say) or a different person (financier, or vendor say) and asked to enact or perform their role—describing their feelings, thoughts and actions.
(iv) Metaphore analysis
The use of metaphors in qualitative research provides an opportunity to examine phenomena from a unique and creative perspective. Metaphors can be used to provide structure to the data; to understand a familiar process in a new light; to identify situation specific interventions; and to evoke emotion. Misuse of metaphors may detract from the intended research message. Mixing metaphors, failing to follow through with metaphors, and using metaphors that do not fit the data can misrepresent the data. The choice to use metaphors should not become a self-serving attempt at creativity that supersedes subject and substance.
Quantitative Research
In quantitative research, primary data can be collected in three ways:
- Experimentation: This is a special form of research which sets out to examine the relationship between two factors by manipulating one whilst measuring the changes in the other. For example, the marketer may test out three different packaging designs and measure the effect on sales. In this way, it is possible to measure the relative effect of sales on other variables such as prices, promotional tools or advertising copy themes through experimentation. So, experiments are used to determine the existence of a causal relationship.
Experiments can also be performed in the laboratory by using specific instruments, such as eye camera—to determine the eye movement of subjects when viewing competitors’ advertisements.
- Observation: Through observational research, marketer; have noted that it is an important method to understand the relationship between people and products by observing their behaviour while purchasing and using these products. Though it is used to observe behaviour of buyers, it cannot tell us what they are thinking or feeling. So, this technique quite limited but nevertheless it will be useful under those circumstances where the marketer’s interest is more or observation than any mental processes. There are three basic types of observation:
Through observation, the researcher is very often able to gain a better understanding of how much the consumer is attached to the product (or brand loyal) based on the symbolic value the product conveys to him or her. Observational research is widely used by interpretivist researchers to understand the buying and consumption process.
- Survey: This is very common method used for collecting qualitative information’s. Surveys can be conducted by meeting the respondents in person, by mailor or over the telephone. Each of these survey methods has go advantages and certain disadvantages which will be Weighted before deciding in favour of a particular survey method.
It is necessary to approach the design and administration of surveys to avoid errors, wastage of time and money, as well as to avoid poor quality responses, The survey project is carried out in the following steps:
- Deciding on survey goals—what is to be learned or understood ?
- Determine the sample—who are to the approached ?
- Decide interviewing methodology how to ask questions ?
- Design the questionnaire—what questions are to be asked ?
- If possible, pre-test the questionnaire.
- Administer interviews.
- Enter the data (information)
- Analyse the information
- Present the data
SECONDARY DATA
A search for secondary data generally follows the statement of objectives. It is any data originally generated for some purpose other than the present research objectives. It includes both internal and external data.
Internal data consist of such information as data generated in hour for earlier studies as well as anaylsis of customer files as past customer transactions, letters from the customers, sales-call reports, and data collected via. warranty cards.
External data consist of any data collected by an outsider organisation. The major source of this data is Federal government, which publishes information collected by source of government agencies about the economy, business, population etc.