Different statements, different reactions. What level of readjustment and personal behaviour do you think those life events bring to you just after they occurred? The answer already exists in an analysis made in 1967 by Thomas H. Holmes and Richard H. Rahe.
We are now in 2016, is it really possible to imagine only one second that people from today exactly react the same as in 1967? This paper shows the change in the ranking, the evolution of grades in 46 years and the place of new life events that now happen in 2013 and where not present in 1967.
The methodology basically follows the original one but improves the precision and diversifies the questions to provide a more precise analysis.
As the original scale was established for medicinal purposes, this one tends to link the results with some marketing theories applicable to people for whom life events show some relevant change in their life through some short interviews, made with randomly selected respondents. Dear companies, use those findings to adapt and improve your targeting and strategies.
Table of Contents
Introduction
I) Literature review – The basis of life Event Research
1) The Readjustment Rating Social Scale.
2) Supporting literature with life events
3) Marketing and Managerial opportunities
II) The critics and limitations
1) The methodology
2) Other critics
III) Research
1) Methodology
2) Findings and discussions on 2013 RRSS
3) Interviews on marketing theories
4) Limitations and future research
V) Conclusion
Research Objectives & Key Themes
This thesis investigates whether the traditional Readjustment Rating Social Scale (RRSS) of 1967 remains a relevant framework for understanding consumer behavior in 2013, aiming to bridge the gap between psychological stress research and modern marketing strategies.
- Evolution of consumer behavior in response to life events since 1967.
- Identification of new, contemporary life events impacting consumption patterns.
- Application of event-driven and occasion-based marketing theories to stressful transitions.
- Assessment of consumer perceptions regarding ethical targeting and manipulation.
Excerpt from the Book
3) Marketing and Managerial opportunities
As mentioned before, the purpose of this paper is not only to update the RRSS but also to think on how this could be used in a marketing and managerial approach. The psychological and medicinal theories are of course interesting but are not in the scope of this project. Stress is the main element of this study and the starting point regarding marketing opportunities comes the moment the stressful life event occurs.
For a very few people, there is simply no stress response as if the event had no effect on the individual, but in most of the cases, three pathways happens before illness indicators:
- Physiological changes (Ader in press; Herbert & Cohen, 1993a, 1993b)
It is possible to find some body responses to stress that are precursors of some diseases. Once again, it goes out of the project scope, but it is still interesting to see that depending on genes, personality, gender and age, people react differently and for some of them, those changing body resources may lead to different consumption.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the necessity of updating the 1967 Readjustment Rating Social Scale to reflect 2013 consumer behaviors and introduces the research focus on marketing opportunities.
I) Literature review – The basis of life Event Research: Explores the origins of the RRSS and existing academic debates, while highlighting the lack of marketing-specific applications in previous studies.
II) The critics and limitations: Analyzes methodological flaws of the original scale, such as the arbitrary weighting of marriage and the potential for demographic-based variances in perceiving life events.
III) Research: Details the quantitative and qualitative methodology, including survey mechanics and interviews conducted to establish a 2013 list of 61 relevant life events.
V) Conclusion: Summarizes the finding that life events are not static and that companies can leverage these transitions ethically to better serve consumer needs.
Keywords
Readjustment rating social scale, Life event, Event-Driven Marketing, Occasion-Based Marketing, Suggestive Conscious Marketing, Relationship Marketing, Benefit Corporation, Trading-up effect, Marketing 3.0, Stress, Consumer behavior, Market segmentation, Marketing ethics, Personalization, Consumer psychology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The work investigates how life events influence human behavior and consumption patterns, specifically updating the classic Holmes and Rahe "Readjustment Rating Social Scale" (1967) for the year 2013.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The research integrates psychology, consumer behavior, and marketing strategy, focusing on how companies can identify and respond to life transitions through various marketing approaches.
What is the main objective of this study?
The primary goal is to determine if the 1967 scale remains relevant, identify new contemporary life events that impact consumption, and explore how marketing theories can be applied to these events.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a dual-method approach: quantitative analysis via online surveys with 97 respondents to rank 61 events, and qualitative analysis through 10 interviews with consumers on marketing strategies.
What does the main body of the work address?
It reviews the historical literature, critiques the original methodology, presents the updated research results and ranking, and discusses the efficacy of specific marketing theories like Relationship Marketing and Marketing 3.0.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Readjustment rating social scale, Event-Driven Marketing, Life events, Consumer behavior, and Marketing 3.0.
How have the rankings of life events changed since 1967?
The research shows that while "death of a spouse" remains the top event, the rankings of other events have shifted significantly, and 18 new events have been added to the scale, reflecting modern social and financial realities.
What role do "positive" versus "negative" events play in marketing?
The study finds that both types of events create a need for "readjustment," and that even positive events can trigger marketing opportunities when consumers are looking to establish new habits or purchase new products.
How does the research approach consumer privacy in the context of "Marketing 3.0"?
The author addresses the ethical dilemma of "over-online exposition," noting that while companies gain vast information about life events through digital tracking, customers are increasingly conscious of these dynamics and concerned about their privacy.
- Quote paper
- Benjamin Dié (Author), 2013, Life events that change people’s consumption. An update of Holmes & Rahe's "Readjustment Rating Social Scale" (1967) and its marketing opportunities, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/321704
