INSEAD Library

Includes bibliographical references and index

Digitized

The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption Contents Series Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1 What Is Evolutionary Psychology? Historical Overview Leading Up to the Founding of Evolutionary Psychology 2 What is Evolutionary Psychology? 5 Proximate Versus Ultimate Explanations 8 Domain-Specific Versus General-Purpose Modules 13 Chapter Summary 16 2 Consumer Research: Domain-General and Proximate-Level Theorizing Proximate Models Utilizing Domain-Independent General-Purpose Mechanisms 19 Learning 20 Motivation 23 Culture 24 Standardization Versus Adaptation 28 Decision Making 31 Perception 37 Attitude Formation and Attitude Change 43 Emotions 45 xi xiii xv xvii 1 18 Personality 49 Applications of Evolutionary Psychology in Other Disciplines 53 Chapter Summary 58 3 Consumption and Darwinian Modules The Reproductive Module 59 Human Mating as a Consumption Choice 62 Information Search in Mate Selection 64 Gift Giving as a Courtship Ritual 67 Sex Differences in Aggregate Consumption Patterns 69 Toy Preferences 70 Appearance-Enhancing Products and Services 71 Cosmetic and Plastic Procedures 71 High Heels, Haircuts, and Provocative Attire 73 The Myth Behind the Beauty Myth 75 Risk-Related Consumption Phenomena 78 Financial Risk Taking 78 Physical Risk Taking 80 The Evolutionary Roots of Conspicuous Consumption 84 Conspicuous Consumption in Religious Settings 89 The Universality and Innateness of Conspicuous Consumption 91 Philanthropy: Costly Signaling Via Nonreciprocal Altruism 95 The Survival Module 97 The Kin Selection Module 101 Family Research in Consumer Behavior 101 Evolutionary Account of Kin Relationships 104 Darwinian Perspective on Birth Order Effects in the Consumption Setting 108 The Reciprocation Module 111 Gift Giving as a Means of Creating and/or Solidifying Bonds 112 Consumption Behaviors Meant to Signal Group Membership 113 Identifying the Nonreciprocators 117 Cross-Cultural Differences in the Definition of Friendship 119 Chapter Summary 121 59 4 Advertising Content and Media Effects: Mirrors of Human 123 Nature Masculinity and Femininity From a Social Constructivist Perspective 124 Depiction of Femininity 125 Depiction of Masculinity 128 Depiction of Masculinity and Femininity in Children's Mediums 133 Depiction of the Dynamics Between Men and Women 136 Evolutionary Account of Masculinity and Femininity 138 Depiction of Sexuality in Advertising 141 Use of Sexual Imagery and the Depiction of Women in Advertising 141 Variables That Moderate Reactions to Sex in Advertising 146 Condemnation of Advertising 147 Prescriptive Strategies to Address "Sexist" Advertising 150 Standardization Versus Adaptation of Advertising Message 152 Advertising Slogans and Darwinian Modules 155 Physical Attractiveness in Advertising: A Darwinian Perspective 157 Chapter Summary 161 5 The Darwinian Roots of Cultural Products Evolutionary Perspective on Culture 165 Memetic Theory 166 Content Analysis of Specific Cultural Products 168 Television Themes 169 Soap Operas 174 Talk Shows 179 Movies 183 Songs 188 Music Videos 196 Literature 198 Self-Help Books 202 Religion 211 Art 214 Chapter Summary 217 163 6 The Darwinian Roots of "Dark-Side" Consumption The Darwinian Etiology of the Seven Deadly Sins 220 Darwinian Medicine and the Promotion of Health 222 Public Service Announcements and Evolutionary Theory 224 Analysis of Specific Dark-Side Consumption Behaviors 227 Pornography 228 Eating Disorders 236 Social Constructivist Perspective 236 Evolutionary Perspective 243 Gambling 245 Demographic Risk Factors Associated With Pathological Gambling 247 Domain-General Perspective of Addiction 250 Proximate Theories of Gambling 252 Evolutionary Explanation of Pathological Gambling 254 Compulsive Buying 255 Women and Compulsive Buying 256 Domain-General Perspective of Compulsive Buying 257 Proximate Issues Addressed by Marketing Scholars 259 Evolutionary Explanation of Compulsive Buying 261 Chapter Summary 263 7 Benefits of Darwinizing Consumer Research Consilience, Fuller Explanations, and Novel Hypotheses 265 Evolutionary Psychology as an Epistemological Heuristic 269 Does Evolutionary Theory Yield Inactionable and/or Impractical Information? 271 The "Darwinizing" of the Cognate Disciplines Closest to Consumer Behavior 272 Chapter Summary 275 Concluding Remarks 276 References Author Index Subject Index 219 265 277 317 329