Essentials of Consumer Behavior

Essentials of Consumer Behavior offers an alternative to traditional textbooks for graduate students. Shorter than competing books, but no less rigorous, it includes unique material on vulnerable consumers and ethics.

Balancing a strong academic foundation with a practical approach, Stephens emphasizes that consumer behavior does not simply equate to buyer behavior. She examines the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that shape consumers? attitudes and motivations in relation to brands, products, and marketing messages. Providing a concise guide to the discipline, the author covers key themes such as vulnerable consumers, new technologies, and collaborative consumption.

The book is supported by a rich companion website offering links to videos and podcasts, surveys, quizzes, further readings, and more. It will be a valuable text for any graduate student of consumer behavior or marketing, as well as any interested consumers.

Part I: Introduction to Consumer Behavior

1. Introduction to Consumer Behavior

2. Consumer Research Methods

3. Perspectives on Products

Part II: Consumers Creating Meaning

4. The Consumer’s Journey

5. Sensory Perception in a Consumption Context

6. Memory and Priming

7. Sociocultural and Interpersonal Influences on Consumer Behavior

Part III: Vulnerable Consumers

8. Vulnerability in Adult Consumers

9. Children as Consumers

10. Nonhuman Animals as Consumers and Consumption Objects

Part IV: The Impact of Technology and Value Shifts on Consumer Behavior

11. The Rise of Collaborative Consumption and the Sharing Economy (Williams Barnes, Gregory Hill)

12. Technology’s Impact on Consumer Behavior

Debra L. Stephens is Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Portland, USA. She has published in leading journals, including the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, and the Journal of Business Ethics.