CONSUMER ETHNOCENTRISM

Consumer Ethnocentrism

Consumer Ethnocentrism

Introduction

American-made products historically provided the frame of reference whereby American consumers evaluated imported products, which often were considered inferior and eschewed. Though large numbers of consumers now are willing to consider foreign-made goods as alternatives to American-made items, some consumers staunchly refuse to buy imported products and chastise fellow consumers for doing so, claiming that buying foreign goods puts Americans out of work, hurts the economy, or is unpatriotic (Tajfel, 2007).

Other consumers are equally vociferous in defending their right to buy whatever products they wish, regardless of place of manufacture. A study was designed to develop a psychometrically rigorous scale for measuring a concept we term "consumer ethnocentrism." Though the general applicability of ethnocentrism to the study of consumer behavior has been recognized, no known work has reformulated the concept specifically to suit the study of marketing and consumer behavior.

Concept of Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is often referred to in negative terms and not as a normal aspect of everyday psychological functioning. Some degree of ethnocentrism is necessary for maintaining social order and cohesion. There would not be any reason to observe norms, to obey laws of society, or to work harmoniously with consumers if not for the implicit positive evaluation of ways of one's own culture (Brewer, Campbell, 2006). If ethnocentrism is inevitable and a natural consequence of enculturation, it could be a potential source of intercultural conflicts as well. Ethnocentrism has also been reported to lead to stereotypes and prejudices. The role of emotion, self, and values in the formation of ethnocentrism has also been well attested.

Discussion on consumer ethnocentrism

The term "consumer ethnocentrism" is adapted from the general concept of ethnocentrism introduced more than 80 years ago by Sumner (1906). Though originally a purely sociological concept to distinguish between in- and out-groups (those regarded as antithetical to the in-group), ethnocentrism has become a psychosocial construct with relevance to individual-level personality systems as well as to the more general cultural- and socio-analytic frameworks (Tajfel, 2007).

In general, the concept of ethnocentrism represents the universal proclivity for people to view their own group as the center of the universe, to interpret other social units from the perspective of their own group, and to reject persons who are culturally dissimilar while blindly accepting those who are culturally like themselves ((Brewer, Campbell, 2006). The symbols and values of one's own ethnic or national group become objects of pride and attachment, whereas symbols of other groups may become objects of contempt. We use the term "consumer ethnocentrism" to represent the beliefs held by American consumers about the appropriateness, indeed morality, of purchasing foreign made products.

From the perspective of ethnocentric consumers, purchasing imported products is wrong because, in their minds, it hurts the domestic economy, causes loss of jobs, and is plainly unpatriotic; products from other countries (i.e., out-groups) are objects of contempt to highly ethnocentric consumers. To non-ethnocentric consumers, however, foreign products are objects to be evaluated on their own merits without consideration for where they are made (or perhaps to ...