Consumer Conformity: Review and Applications for Marketing Theory and Practice

Interpersonal influences are a key explanatory variable in many marketing applications. While individuals are frequently directed in their product choice and usage by referent others and may conform to these directions to gain group acceptance, our knowledge about the conformity pressures exerted in the marketplace is relatively limited. The purpose of this study is to explore conformity by examining the multitude of factors that predispose individuals to conform to the influence of others. A theoretical model of conformity is advanced, and applications of conformity theory to marketing practice are suggested.

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