Chapters 4 and 5 | Demographics and Social Stratification, Subcultures

demographics

describe a population in terms of its size, distribution, and structure

distributing a population

size and distribution, occupation, education, income, age,

Subjective discretionary income (SDI)

an estimate by the consumer of how much money he or she has available to spend on nonessentials.

cognitive age

one’s perceived age, a part of one’s self-concept.23 It is measured by asking people what age they would associate with how they look, feel, and behave.

generation/age cohort

a group of persons who have experienced a common social, political, historical, and economic environment

mature market

consumers 55 years of age and over.

gerontographics

one segmentation approach to the mature market that incorporates aging processes and life events related to the physical health and mental outlook of older consumers.

societal rank

one’s position relative to others on one or more dimensions valued by society.

social class system

a hierarchical division of a society into relatively distinct and homogeneous groups with respect to attitudes, values, and lifestyles.

status crystallization

The more consistent an individual is on all status dimensions, the greater the degree of this for the individual.

conspicuous consumption

they purchase and use automobiles, homes, yachts, clothes, and so forth primarily to demonstrate their great wealth

nouveaux riches

Doing the “in thing” on a grand scale is important to this group. High-status brands and activities are actively sought out by them

working-class aristocrats

dislike the upper-middle class and prefer products and stores positioned at their social-class level

single-item indexes

estimate social status on the basis of a single dimension such as education, income, or occupation.

multi-item indexes

take into account numerous variables simultaneously and weight these according to a scheme that reflects societal views.

Index of Social Position (ISP)

a two-item index that is well developed and widely used. It combines both education and occupation to assess an individual's social status.

subculture

a segment of a larger culture whose members share distinguishing values and patterns of behavior.

ethnic subcultures

those whose members’ unique shared behaviors are based on a common racial, language, or national background.

event marketing

creating or sponsoring an event that has a particular appeal to a market segment.

acculturation

the degree to which an immigrant has adapted to his or her new culture.

religious subcultures

different religions in America prescribe differing values and behaviors. arise as a result of climatic conditions, the natural environment and resources, the characteristics of the various immigrant groups that have settled in each region, and significant social and political events.

secular society

the educational system, government, and political process are not controlled by a religious group, and most people’s daily behaviors are not guided by strict religious guidelines. (america)