Anthropological Approach to Consumer Science: A Practical Teaching Case Study

Anthropology is becoming an increasingly popular source from which to borrow tools to investigate marketing and consumer behavior. Not only do many anthropologists themselves conduct some marketing and consumer research, but more and more marketers are developing anthropological methods in their marketing practice and research. The anthropological approach focuses on the influences of culture and society on the individual consumer’s behavior; it emphasizes participant observation and academic analysis of consumer behavior through both management and consumer perspectives. It is argued that the anthropological approach to the study of consumer behavior could be very effective in helping students understand the principles of consumer behavior.