Beyond persuasion: a cultural perspective of behaviour

Abstract

Purpose

This research suggests that understanding problem behaviours through a cultural lens may offer multifarious layers of insight and provide opportunities for more effective intervention than the classical psychological perspective and cognitive models. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In this ethnographic study of a deprived community in North West England, physical activity behaviours were researched through participant observation. Field notes were analysed using retroductive reasoning, with Bourdieu's “habitus” as a theoretical framework to guide a cultural understanding.

Findings

This approach led to the identification of cultural mechanisms which influenced the observed lack of physical activity, and which would have been difficult to identify with a psychological theoretical base. These included a lack of perspective, participation and control. These mechanisms led to the observed preoccupations with family survival, withdrawal and fantasy, instant pleasure and image management.

Practical implications

This paper argues that the identification of these mechanisms through culturally grounded analysis suggests that cognitive models are limited in scope and that the simple “marketing exchange” and favoured social marketing 4Ps approach is unlikely to make a significant impact on behaviour.

Originality/value

Social marketers tend to rely on overtly cognitive models to underpin their audience research and intervention planning, and in alignment with the field's definition, social marketing interventions tend to rely on the voluntary engagement of the target audience in the “exchange” or marketing offer. In contrast, this research suggests culture change is a logical intervention approach, but it would contravene the existing definition of social marketing.

Citation

Spotswood, F. and Tapp, A. (2013), "Beyond persuasion: a cultural perspective of behaviour", Journal of Social Marketing, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 275-294. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-01-2013-0006