The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption (Marketing and Consumer Psychology) (Hardcover)

by Gad Saad (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Saads book The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption is aimed at academic researchers studying aspects of consumer psychology, students and practitioners in advertising or marketing, or nonconsumer psychologists who enjoy interdisciplinary research. The book suggests that there is broad applicability of Darwinian principles to the study of consumer behavior... It is the first book of its kind. - Jill M. Sundie, PsycCRITIQUES

The key features of this book are (1) it introduces an evolutionary psychological perspective on consumerism and marketing (2) it provides an overview of some robust themes that account for systematic patterning of consumer preferences, and (3) it offers a synthetic approach to the study and understanding of consumer behavior. The book will be the first of its kind and will inspire new directions in consumer research. - Margo Wilson, Department of Psychology, McMaster University

Gad Saad has shown me that evolutionary psychology and consumer behavior is a very interesting subject and one I think many people will find interesting-even exciting. The author has an excellent knowledge of the literature on evolutionary psychology and its interpretations. He does a fine job of applying it to the area of consumer behavior. I think it could have an important impact on the advertising industry. - Charles Crawford, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Simon Fraser University

Product Description
This book applies Darwinian principles in understanding our consumption patterns and the products of popular culture that most appeal to individuals. The first and only scholarly work to do so, this is a captivating study of the adaptive reasons behind our behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and perceptions. This lens of analysis suggests how we come to make selections such as choosing a mate, the foods we eat, the gifts that we offer, and more. It also highlights how numerous forms of dark side consumption, including pathological gambling, compulsive buying, pornographic addiction, and eating disorders, possess a Darwinian etiology.Engaging and diverse in scope, the book maps consumption phenomena onto four key Darwinian modules: survival, reproduction, kin selection, and reciprocal altruism. As an interesting proposal, the author suggests that media and advertising contents exist in their particular forms because they are a reflection of our evolved human nature - negating the notion that they exist through;the reverse;causal link, as proposed by social constructivists. The link between evolutionary theory and consumption behaviors is detailed throughout the book via an examination of (among many others): appearance-enhancing products and services; financial and physical risk-taking;use of sexual imagery and the depictions of women in advertising; and television programs, movies, songs, music videos, literature, religion, and art. The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption will appeal to evolutionists who desire to explore new areas wherein evolutionary theory can be applied; consumer and marketing scholars who wish to learn about the ways in which biological-and evolutionary-based theorizing can be infused into the consumer behavior/marketing/advertising disciplines; as well as other interdisciplinary scholars interested in gaining knowledge about the power of evolutionary theory in explaining a wide range of behavioral phenomena.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum; 1 edition (February 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805851496
• ISBN-13: 978-0805851496
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #955,990 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended., March 28, 2008

By	BB (Montreal QC, CANADA) - See all my reviews

In this work Gad Saad provides an excellent review of evolutionary psychology and its relevance to the field of consumer behavior. A particularly novel idea is encompassing mate choice within acts of consumption. Although not an easy read, once you begin to see how much Saad's ideas provide a paradigm shift in the field of consumer (and human) behavior, you will definitely want to reread this book in order to relish all its nuances. If new to the field of consumer behavior, you shall learn much about the evolutionary bases for your everyday decisions, from buying a car to accepting a date and choosing a perfume. I gained much knowledge from this book and consider it a must read for anybody interested in a scientifically rigorous review of human behavior in the field of consumption. You will not be disappointed!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars creating a new scientific field, September 27, 2008

By	Sigal Tifferet (Israel) - See all my reviews

In his book "The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption" Gad Saad has founded a new field in the social sciences: evolutionary consumer behavior. While Saad is an expert in marketing, I was surprised to find out that his understanding of evolutionary psychology is both wide and deep.The book is very well written and each chapter focuses on a different topic, in a way that makes the reading interesting and fluent. The literature reviews are comprehensive, making it a great book to start with when exploring a new question. This book is highly recommended for both scholars and marketing managers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Analysis of Consumption, November 28, 2007

By	Stephen M. Colarelli (Midland, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a brilliant book. It is a path-breaking analysis of consumption from an evolutionary psychological perspective. Professor Saad shows that the widespread belief that advertisers can sell us anything if the ad campaign is clever enough is just plain wrong. Successful advertising - and ultimately consumption - is, to a large degree, based on tapping into basic preferences that evolved over millennia. Saad adroitly integrates basic research in evolutionary psychology and evolutionary biology with consumer behavior, and he provides many interesting and amusing examples. This book should be on the shelf of anyone who studies consumption or who is involved in marketing.