Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Postmodernism and Consumer Psychology: Transformation or Break?

Manel Hamouda

Open access

The research’s aim is to identify the postmodern consumer characteristics. Studied through its
main conditions (Hyperreality, Fragmentation, Decentered subject, Reversal of production and
consumption and Paradoxical juxtaposition of opposites), postmodernism seems to affect some
psychological traits of the consumer (Materialism, social desirability, locus of control and social
identity). We tried to generate a number of assumptions. The check of these assumptions
could answer us whether these psychological characteristics have been radically influenced by
postmodernism and in this case, the consumer would have undergone a break or the effect is
partial and it is only a simple transformation within the consumer.

Addis, M. & Podestà, S. (2005), « Long life to marketing research: a postmodern view»,
European Jounal of Marketing, 39 (3/4), pp. 386-412.
Arnould, E.J. & Thompson, C.J. (2005), « Consumer Culture Theory (CCT): Twenty years of
research », Journal of Consumer Research, 31(4), pp. 868-882.
Badot, O & Cova, B. (1992a), « Des marketing en mouvement vers un néomarketing », Revue
Française du Marketing, 136, pp. 5-27.
Badot, O & Cova, B. (1992b), Le néo-marketing, Paris, Éditions ESF.
Balandier, G. (1985), « La modernité en tous ses états. Chapitre 5 », Le détour, Paris, Fayard,
pp. 131-216.
Baudrillard, J . (1987), Cool Memories II, Paris, Galilée
Baudrillard, J. (1968), Le système des objets, Paris, Gallimard
Baudrillard, J. (1986), Amérique, Paris, Grasset.
Baudrillard, J. (1981), For a Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign, St. Louis, Telos.
Baudrillard, J. (1990), La transparence du mal. Essai sur les phénomènes extrêmes, Paris :
Éditions Galilée.
Belk R. W. (1983), “Wordly Possessions: Issues and Criticisms”, Advances in Consumer Research,
10, pp.514-519.
Belk, R.W. (1985), “Materialism : Trait Aspects of Living in the Material World”, Journal of
Consumer Research, 12, pp.265-280. Belk, R. W. (1987). “Material values in the comics: A content analysis of comic books
Bell, D. (1973), The coming of post-industrial society, New-York, Basic Books.
Bell, D. (1976), The cultural contradictions of capitalism, New-York, Basic Books.
Bloch, O. (1995), Le matérialisme, Presses Universitaires de France, QSJ, 2ième édition, Paris.
Bollen, K. A., & Hoyle, R. H. (1990), “Perceived cohesion: A conceptual and empirical
examination”, Social Forces, 69, pp. 479 – 504.
Bourdieu, P. (1984), Distinction: A social critique of the judgement of taste (trans. by R. Nice).
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Bouvard, M. (1999), Questionnaires et échelles d’évaluation de la personnalité, Masson, Paris.
Brown, R. Condor, S. Mathews, A. Wade, G. & Williams, J. (1986), “Explaining intergroup
differentiation in an industrial organization”. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 59, pp. 273–
286.
Brown, S. (1993), « Postmodern marketing? », European Journal of Marketing, 27(4), pp.19-34.
Brown, S. (1994), "Marketing as Multiplex : Screening Postmodernism", European Journal of
Marketing, 28 (8/9), pp. 27-51
Brown, S. (2006), Recycling Postmodern Marketing, The Marketing Review, 6, pp. 211-230.
Bruchon-Schweitzer, M. (2002), Psychologie de la santé : modèles, concepts et méthodes,
Editions Dunod, Collection Psycho Sup, Paris
Cameron, J.E. (2004), “A three-factor model of social identity”. Self and Identity, 3, pp. 239-262.
Carù, A. & Cova, B. (2008), « Le consommateur interpassif : nouvel avatar postmoderne ?»,
7ème Congrès des Tendances du Marketing, Venise.
Christopher, M. (1989), « The existential consumer », European Journal of Marketing, 23( 8),
pp. 80-84.
Cooper, S., McLoughlin, D., & Keating, A. (2005), “Individual and neo-tribal consumption: tales
from the Simpsons of Springfield”. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 4 (5), pp. 330-344
Cova, B. (1995), Au delà du marché: quand le lien importe plus que le bien, ParisCova, B. (1997), “community and consumption: towards a definition of the linking value of
products or services”, European Journal of Marketing, 31 (3/4), pp. 297-316.
Cova, B. & Badot O. (1994), «Le marketing à l„épreuve du postmoderne», Actes du 10ème
congrès de l’Association Française du Marketing, Paris, pp. 413-441.
Cova, B. & Svanfeldt, C. (1993), “Societal innovations and the postmodern aesthicization of
everyday life”, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 10, pp. 297-310.
Cova, B., (1999), „From Marketing to Societing: When the Link is More Important than the
Thing?, in D. Brownlie, M. Saren, R. Wensley and R. Whittington (eds) Rethinking Marketing:
Towards Critical Marketing Accountings, pp. 64–83. London: Sage.
Cova, V. et Cova, B. (2001), Alternatives marketing : réponses marketing aux évolutions récentes
des consommateurs, Paris: Dunod.
Davis, J.B. (2007), “Postmodernism and the Individual as a Process”, Review of Social Economy,
LXV(2), pp. 203-208.
Decrop, A. (2008), « Les paradoxes du consommateur postmoderne », Reflets et perspectives de
la vie économique, XLVII(2), pp. 85-93.
Deleuze, G. & Guattari, F. (1983). Anti-Oedipus. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota
Press. Docherty, T. (Ed.). (1993). Postmodernism. A reader. New York: Columbia University
Press.
Dubois, N. (1994), La norme d’internalité et le libéralisme, Presses Universitaires de Grenoble.
pp. 12.
Edwards, A.L. (1957), Social desirability variable in personality assessment and research, New
York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Ellemers, N., Kortekaas, P., & Ouwerkerk, J. W. (1999), “Self-categorisation, commitment to the
group and group self-esteem as related but distinct aspects of social identity”. European Journal
of Social Psychology, 29, pp. 371 – 389.
Elliot, R. (1997), “Existential consumption and irrationnal desire”, European Journal of
Marketing, 31(3/4), pp. 285-296.
Ewen, S. (1988), All consuming images: The politics of style in contemporary culture. New York,
NY: Basic Books.
Fallding, H. (1965). “A proposal for the empirical study of values”. American Sociological
Review, 30, pp. 223-233. Faurschou, G. (1990), Obsolescence and desire: Fashion and the commodity form. In: H.J.
Silverman (ed.), Postmodernism in art and philosophy, pp. 234-299. London: Routledge.
Featherstone, M. (1991), Consumer culture and postmodernism, London: Sage Publications.
Filser, M. (2002), « Le marketing de la production d?expérience : Statut théorique et
implications managériales », Décisions Marketing, 28, pp. 13-22.
Firat, A. F. (1991), “The consumer in postmodernity”, Advanced in Consumer Research, 18, pp.
70-76.
Firat, A. F. & Venkatesh, A. (1993), «Postmodernity: The Age of Marketing», Intenational
Journal of Research in Marketing,10, pp. 227-249.
Firat, A. F. & Venkatesh, A. (1995), “Liberatory Postmodernism and the Reenchantment of
Consumption”, Journal of Consumer Research, 22( 3), pp. 239- 267
Firat, A. F., Sherry, J.F. & Venkatesh, A., (1994), “Postmodernism, marketing and the consumer”,
International Journal of Research in Marketing, 11, pp. 311-316.
Firat, A.F & Dholakia, N. (2006), « Theoretical and philosophical implications of postmodern
debates some challenges to modern marketing», Marketing Theory, 6 (2), p. 123-162.
Firat, A.F. & Dholakia, N., (1998), Consuming people, from political economy to theaters of
consumption, Routledge
Firat, A.F. & Shultz, C.J. (2001), « Preliminary metric investigation into the nature of the
postmodern consumer », Marketing Letters, 12(2), pp. 189-203.
F?rat, A.F., Dholakia, N. & Bagozzi, R.P., (1987) Philosophical and Radical Thought in Marketing.
Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Firat, A.F., Dholakia, N., & Venkatesh, A. (1995), « Marketing in postmodern world », European
Journal of Marketing, 29(1), p.40-56.
Fisher, R.J. & Katz, J.E. (2000), “Social-desirability bias and the validity of self-reported values”,
Psychology and Marketing, 17(2), pp. 105–120
Fitzmaurice, J. & Comegys, C. (2006), « Materialism and social consumption », Journal of
Marketing Theory and Practice, 14(4), pp. 287-299Fosse-Gomez, M.H & Ozcaglar, N. (2007), "Towards an understanding of consumption
objectors", European Advances in Consumer Research, 8, eds. Stefania Borghini, Mary Ann
McGrath, and Cele Otnes, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, pp. 493-497
Foster, H. (1985), Recodings: Art, Spectacle, Cultural Politics, Bay Press, Seattle, WA.
Foucault, M. (1975), Surveiller et punir : Naissance de la prison, Gallimard.
Galan, J. P. et Vignolles, A. (2009), « Twetnographie : utilisation de Twitter pour la recherche en
marketing », Actes des 14èmes Journées de Recherche en Marketing de Bourgogne, Dijon, CDROM.
Gergen, K., (1991). The saturated self: Dilemmas of identity in contemporary life. New York:
Basic Books.
Gerrit, A. & Van Raaij F.W.,(1998), Consumer Behavior, a European perspective, Wiley.
Gitlin, T. (1989), "Postmodernism: Roots and Politics," in Cultural Politics in Contemporary
America, Angus I. and Jhally S., eds., New York: Routledge, pp. 347-360.
Graillot, L. (2005), « Réalités (ou apparences ?) de l'hyperréalité : une application au cas du
tourisme et du loisir», Recherche et Applications en Marketing, 20(1), pp. 43-63.
Guilbert, G.C. (2002), Madonna as Postmodern Myth: How One Star’s Self-Construction Rewrites
Sex, Gender, Hollywood and the American Dream. Jefferson, McFarland & Company.
Gurin, P. & Markus, H. (1989)., “Cognitive consequences of gender identity”. In S. Skevington
and D. Baker (Eds.), The social identity of women (pp. 152 – 172). London: Sage.
Hassan, I., (1987), The postmodern Turn. Essays in Postmo-dern Theory and Culture, Columbus,
Ohio, Ohio State University Press.
Hetzel, P. (2002), Planète Conso : Marketing expérientiel et nouveaux univers de consommation,
Paris, Les Editions d?Organisation
Hetzel, P., (1995), “Le rôle de la mode et du design dans la société de consommation
postmoderne: quels enjeux pour les entreprises”, Revue Française du Marketing, 151, pp.19-33.
Hinkle S., Taylor L. A., Fox-Cardamone D. L., & Crook K. F. (1989), “ Intragroup identification and
intergroup differentiation: A multicomponent approach”. British Journal of Social Psychology,
28, pp. 305 – 317.
Hirschman, E. C. & Holbrook, M. B., (1992), Postmodern consumer research, Newbury Park,
Sage Publications. Hogg, M.A. & Terry, D.J. (2000). « Social identity and self-categorization processes in
organizational contexts », Academy of Management Review, 25, 1, p. 121-140.
Holbrook, M.B. (1993), “Postmodernism and social theory”, Journal of Macromarketing, 13(2),
pp. 69-75.
Holbrook, M.B. & Hirschman, E.C. (1982), “The experiential aspects of consumption: consumer
fantasies, feelings, and fun”, Journal of Consumer Research, 9(2), pp.132-140.
Holt, D.B (1997), “Poststructuralist Lifestyle Analysis: Conceptualizing the Social Patterning of
Consumption in Postmodernity”, Journal of Consumer Research, 23, pp. 326- 349.
Holt, D.B. (1995), « How consumer consume : A typology of consumption practice », Journal of
Consumer Research, 22(1), pp. 1-15.
Hutcheon, L., (1988), A Poetics of Postmodernism: History, Theory, Fiction, New York:
Routledge.
Jackson, J. W. (2002), “Intergroup attitudes as a function of different dimensions of group
identification and perceived intergroup conflict”, Self and Identity, 1, pp. 11 – 33.
Jagger, E. (2005), “Is Thirty the New Sixty? Dating, Age and Gender in a Postmodern”, Consumer
Society, 39(1), pp. 89-106
Jameson, F. (1984), "Postmodernism, or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism," New Left
Review, 146 (July-August), pp. 59-72.
Jang, S., Liu, Y. & Namkung, Y. (2011), “Effects of authentic atmospherics in ethnic restaurants:
investigating Chinese restaurants”, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management, 23(5), pp. 662-680
Jencks, C. (1987), Post-Modernism: The New Classicism in Art and Architecture, New York,
Rizzoli International Publications Inc.
King, M.F & Bruner, G.C. (2000), “ Social desirability bias: A neglected aspect of validity testing”
, Psychology and Marketing, 17(2), p. 79–103
Kniazeva, M. & Venkatesh, A. (2007), “Food for thought: A study of food consumption in
postmodern US culture”, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 6, pp. 419-435.
Kozinets, R.V. (2002), « Can consumer escape the market ? Emancipatory illuminations from
burning man », Journal of Consumer Research, 29, pp. 20-38.Lee, E.J. (2009), "Theoretical foundation of brand personality for postmodern branding
dynamics: a critical review and research agenda", Advances in Consumer Research, 36, eds. Ann
L. McGill and Sharon Shavitt, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, p. 886-887.
Levenson, H. (1974), “Activism and powerful others : distinctions within the concept of InternalExternal control”. Journal of Personality Assessment, 38, pp. 377-383.
Levine, M. (1998), The Princess and the Package: Exploring the Love-Hate Relationship Between
Diana and the Media. Los Angeles, CA: Renaissance Books.
Lyotard, J.F. (1988), Le postmoderne expliqué aux enfants, Paris: Editions Galilée.
Lyotard, J. (1984). The postmodern condition: A report on knowledge , Minneapolis, University
of Minnesota Press
Maffesoli, M. (1998), “Société ou Communauté : Tribalisme et sentiment d?appartenance”,
Bulletin de Psychologie, 51 (1), pp. 9-12.
McCarthy, E. J. (1960), Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach, IL: Richard D. Irwin.
Meglino, B. M. & Ravlin, E. C. (1998), « Individual values in organizations: Concepts,
controversies, and research”, Journal of Management, 24, pp. 351-389.
Meglino, B.M., Ravlin, E.C., & Adkins, C.L. (1989), “A work values approach to corporate culture:
A field test of the value congruence process and its relationship to individual outcomes”,
Journal of Applied Psychology, 74, pp. 424-432.
Milberg, W. (2007), “The Shifting and Allegorical Rhetoric of Neoclassical Economics”, Review of
Social Economy, LXV( 2), pp. 209-222
Moschis, G. P. (1981), “Patterns of Consumer Learning”, Journal of the Academy of Marketing
Science, 9(2), pp. 110-126.
Murray, J.B. & Ozanne, J.L. (1991),” The Critical Imagination: Emancipatory Interests in
Consumer Research?, Journal of Consumer Research , 18(2), pp. 129–134.
O'Connor, J. & Wynne, D. (1998), «Consumption and the post-modern city" , Urban Studies, 35,
pp. 841-864
Oettgen, F. et Oettgen, W., (2004), Les mutations du consommateur français, Editions EMS.
Paulhus, D. L. (1986), “Self-deception and impression management in test responses” In A.
Angleiter & J. S. Wiggins, (Eds.), Personality assessment via questionnaire: Current issues in
theory and measurement. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Paulhus, D.L. (1984). “Two-component models of socially desirable responding”, Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 46, pp. 598-609
Perry, N., (1998), Hyperreality and Global Culture, New York & London, Routledge.
Piquet, S. & Marchandet, E. (1998), « La modernité en question », Revue Française de
Gestion,167(2), pp. 5-16
Poster, M. (1975), "Translator's Introduction," in The Mirror of Production, ed. Jean Baudrillard,
St. Louis: Telos, pp. 1-15.
Richins, M. L. (1994b), “Special Possessions and the Expression of Material Values”, Journal of
Consumer Research, 21(December), pp. 522-533.
Richins, M. L. and Dawson S. (1992), 3A Consumer Values Orientation for Materialism and Its
Measurement: Scale Development and Validation”, Journal of Consumer Research, 19,
December, pp. 303-316.
Riou, N., (1999), Pub fiction : société postmoderne et nouvelles tendances publicitaires, Paris,
Editions d?Organisation.
Ritzer, G., (1999), Enchanting a Disenchanted World. Revolutionizing the Means of
Consumption, Pine Forge Press, Thousand Oaks, CA., Sage Publications.
Rotter, J. B. (1966), “Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of
reinforcement”, Psychological Monographs , 80, pp. 1-28.
Rowley, S. J., Sellers, R. M., Chavous, T. M., & Smith, M. A. (1998), “The relationship between
racial identity and self-esteem in African American college and high school students”, Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 74, pp. 715 – 724
Sacks, K. (1982), Sisters and Wives. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Sandikci, O. & Omeraki, S. (2007), “Globalization and Rituals: Does Ramadan Turn into
Christmas?”, Advances in Consumer Research?, 34
Saren, M. (2011),“Marketing empowerment and exclusion in the information age”, Marketing
Intelligence & Planning, 29(1), pp. 39-48
Sawchuk, K. (1987), “A tale of inscription/fashion statements”, Canadian Journal of Political and
Social Theory, 11, pp.51-67.Schouten J. & Mc Alexander J.H. , (1995), “Subcultures of consumption: an ethnography of the
new bikers”, Journal of Consumer Research, 22 (June), pp.43-61
Schwartz, S. H., Verkasalo, M., Antonovsky, A., & Sagiv, L. (1997), “Value Priorities and Social
Desirability: Much Substance, Some Style,” British Journal of Social Psychology, 36, pp. 3–18.
Sellers, R. M. & Shelton, J. N. (2003). “The role of racial identity in perceived racial
discrimination”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(5), pp. 1079–1092.
Sherry, J. F. (1993), "Having and Being Had: A Review Essay on the Cultural Psychology of
Material Possessions," Journal of Macromarketing, 13, pp.75-78.
Sherry, J. F. (1995), Contemporary Marketing and Consumer Behavior, Sage
publications,Thousand Oaks, London.
Solomon, M.R., (1992), Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being, Allyn & Bacon, Boston,
MA.
Tajfel, H. (1978), “Interindividual behaviour and intergroup behavior”. In Tajfel, H. (Ed.),
Differentiation between groups : Studies in the social psychology of group interactions. London,
Academic Press, pp. 27–60.
Tajfel, H. (1981), Human groups and social categories. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tavris, C. and Wade, C. (1999), Introduction à la psychologie : les grandes perspectives, Editions
De Boeck Université, Québec.
Teschl, M. (2007), “What Does it Mean to be Decentered?”, Review of Social Economy, LXV, (2),
pp.195-201
Thompson, C. J. & Troester, M., (2002), "Consumer Value Systems in the Age of Postmodern
Fragmentation: The Case of the Natural Health Microculture", Journal of Consumer Research,
28 (March), pp. 550-571.
Thompson, C.J & Holt, D. (1996), “Communities and consumption: research on consumer
strategies for constructing communal relationships in a postmodern world”, Advances in
Consumer Research, 23, pp. 204-205
Tournois, J. Mesnil, F. & Kop, J.L. (2000), « Autotricherie et hétérotricherie : Un instrument de
mesure de la désirabilité sociale ». Revue Européenne de Psychologie Appliquée, 50(1),pp 219-
232.Tournois, J., Mesnil, F. & Kop, J.L. (1997), « Autoduperie-Hétéroduperie : doit-on renoncer à la
distinction entre attribution et déni ? » In Juhel J., Marivain T. et Rouxel G. (Eds), Psychologie et
différences individuelles. Questions actuelles, pp. 235-240, Rennes : P.U.R.
Turner, J.C. (1985), “Social categorization and the self-concept : A social cognitive theory of
group behavior”. Advances in Group Processes, 2, p. 77–122.
Van Raaij, W.F. (1993), “Postmodern consumption”, Journal of Economic Psychology, 14, pp.
541-563.
Wilson, E., (1989), Hallucinations: Life in the Post-Modern City, London: Hutchinson Radius.

N/A