EXAMINING REFERENCE GROUP INFLUENCES ON YOUNG CONSUMERS' PRODUCT AND BRAND DECISIONS

Abstract

This research study aimed to examine the influences of three types of reference groups on young consumers’ product and brand decisions. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect survey data from 400 undergraduate students

who were studying in public and private institutions in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas, Thailand. Three product categories were tested and selected to represent a) publicly- consumed, luxurious product (handbags), b) publicly-consumed, necessary product (mobile phones), and c) privately-consumed, luxurious product (perfumes). As a result, informational influence was found to be the most outperformed approach shown to impact on all products and brand selections. Meanwhile, normative influence shows less impact on young adults since they are likely to be an influencer rather than being influenced by others. However, value-expressive influence presentsed non-significant evidence to explain its power on consumer product and brand decisions. Therefore, this research supports Deutsch and Gerard’s (1955) original work with the non-U.S. samples that there should be only two types of reference group influences.