Psychographics

Psychographics

Psychographics Jonathan Poland

Psychographics is the study of personality, values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles. It is a research method used to identify and understand the underlying motivations and behaviors of consumers, and to develop marketing strategies that target specific groups of consumers.

Psychographics is often used in conjunction with demographics, which is the study of characteristics such as age, gender, income, and education. While demographics provide information about who consumers are, psychographics helps to understand why they make the purchasing decisions they do.

There are several key aspects of psychographics that are relevant to marketing research. The first is personality, which refers to the unique characteristics that make up an individual’s identity. Personality traits can influence consumer behavior, such as whether someone is adventurous or risk-averse, or whether they are extroverted or introverted.

The second aspect of psychographics is values, which refer to the beliefs and principles that guide an individual’s behavior. Values can influence consumer behavior by shaping an individual’s priorities and preferences. For example, someone who values sustainability may be more likely to purchase environmentally-friendly products.

The third aspect of psychographics is attitudes, which refer to an individual’s opinions and feelings about a particular topic or issue. Attitudes can influence consumer behavior by shaping an individual’s preferences and decision-making processes. For example, someone with a positive attitude towards a particular brand may be more likely to purchase products from that brand.

Psychographics can be useful for marketers because it allows them to develop more targeted and effective marketing strategies. By understanding the underlying motivations and behaviors of consumers, marketers can create messages and offers that are more likely to resonate with specific groups of consumers. This can help to improve the effectiveness of marketing efforts and increase the likelihood of success.

Motivation

A customer’s motivation for a purchase. For example, a gym that targets customers motivated by self-improvement and a desire for social status. In practice, psychographics are often far more specific than the general list above. For example, “a motivation to solve the problem of ocean plastic” as opposed to “doing good.”

  • Comfort
  • Connectedness
  • Convenience
  • Curiosity
  • Doing Good
  • Escapism
  • Fear of Missing Out
  • Health
  • Practical Need
  • Privacy
  • Publicity
  • Safety
  • Satisfaction
  • Self-Fulfillment
  • Self-Improvement
  • Self-indulgence
  • Social Status

Interests & Activities

Things that customers find interesting and how they spend their time. For example, a cafe for people who are interested in social interaction and are devoted to their pets.

  • Activism
  • Adventure
  • Animals Art
  • Business
  • Culture
  • Do-it-yourself
  • Entertainment
  • Fashion
  • Film
  • Fitness
  • Food
  • History
  • Low Technology
  • Luxury
  • Media
  • Music
  • Nature
  • Nostalgia
  • People
  • Pets
  • Politics
  • Quiet Time
  • Social Life
  • Social Media
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Tradition
  • Travel
  • Volunteerism

Values, Opinions & Attitudes

Elements of an individual’s worldview. For example, a car targeting individuals who are strongly protective of family and risk avoiding.

  • Civil
  • Collectivist
  • Conservationist
  • Conservative
  • Disengaged
  • Emotional
  • Environmentalist
  • Idealistic
  • Individualist
  • Liberal
  • Logical
  • Naturalistic
  • Optimistic
  • Pessimistic
  • Progressive
  • Reactionary
  • Realistic
  • Rebellious
  • Religious
  • Risk Avoiding
  • Risk Taking
  • Secular
  • Social Activist
  • Traditional

Behavior

Behavior is a common type of market segment that often overlaps with psychographics. For example, a product with low environmental impact that targets conspicuous conservation whereby consumers purchase products that they view as good for the world.

  • Brand Loyal
  • Bulk Buyer
  • Channel Preference
  • Comparison Shopper
  • Competitive Shopper
  • Compulsive Shopper
  • Conspicuous Conservation
  • Conspicuous Consumption
  • Cynical
  • Diligent
  • Early Adopter
  • Expert User
  • Extroverted
  • Frequent Shopper
  • Impulsive Shopper
  • Influencer
  • Introverted
  • Late Adopter
  • Novice User
  • Open to Experience
  • Preference for Certainty
  • Price Insensitive
  • Price Sensitive
  • Quality Seeker
  • Research Shopper
  • Reserved
  • Resistant to Change
  • Social
  • Status Seeker
  • Tolerance for Uncertainty
  • Value Seeker
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