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The impact of social class and social class characteristics on warranty attitudes and behaviors
Abstract
This study examined the impact that social class status and three variables (Time Orientation, Locus of Control, and Delay of Gratification) known to vary with Social Class have on consumer warranty attitudes and behaviors. Using five social class indicators, this research utilized only the responses of individuals whose social class status had "crystallized" in either the lower social class status category or the middle social class category. This study examined respondent warranty attitudes and behaviors in general and also regarding specific purchases of three durable products. This research supports previous research that suggests that lower social class individuals tend to have a short time orientation, a propensity to choose instant gratification over delayed gratification, and an external locus of control; whereas middle social class individuals tend to have a longer time orientation, a propensity to delay gratification, and an internal locus of control. Results show that individuals with an internal Locus of Control were more likely to have a higher regard for warranties. Individuals with a longer time orientation were more likely to exhibit warranty information seeking behaviors and to purchase extended warranties. Individuals with a greater propensity to delay gratification were more likely to choose the delayed product attribute over the immediate product feature. Regarding social class status, this research found that Social Class was a significant predictor of warranty behaviors, but not of warranty attitudes and perceptions. Individuals of middle social class status were more likely to exhibit general and extended warranty information seeking behaviors. This study did not generate evidence of a Social Class moderator relationship between warranty attitudes and behaviors and the independent variable, Locus of Control. However, findings did suggest that Social Class does moderate the relationship between extended warranty purchase and Time Orientation. Also, a significant interaction was found between Social Class and Delay of Gratification on the choice between a delayed product attribute and an immediate product feature. Few studies of the impact of social class status on consumer behaviors have utilized samples which include lower social class segments and which utilized responses from only individuals whose social class statuses were crystallized. This research accomplished these two sampling objectives, thereby increasing the confidence in its findings regarding social class segments. In view of this study, Social Class might be considered a significant market segmentation variable, providing marketers with a number of related characteristics with which to focus a marketing mix. Further, given the significant social class crystallization observed in this study, identification of a household's social class status may be more reasonably obtained than often thought. This would increase the feasibility of using social class status as a variable in market research efforts.
Subject Area
Marketing
Recommended Citation
Meyer, Carol Anne, "The impact of social class and social class characteristics on warranty attitudes and behaviors" (1995). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9611062.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9611062