A Two-Component Model of Behavior Factors: Does Sociology Have Something to Teach Marketing?

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing wave of criticism against the authors of both political and market forecasts. This phenomenon testifies to the imperfection of the human behavior models they use. In electoral sociology, where the cost of mistakes is considerably higher, the desire to avoid them has led to some progress. Can its results be used in marketing?

This article presents the analysis of the theoretical prerequisites for using the methodological findings of electoral sociology in marketing. It also provides a meta-analysis of the application of one of these findings, a two-component behavioral model, to predict voting results. This model is based on a combination of open (explicit) and hidden (implicit) factors of behavior, considering the behavioral act as a result of resolving the conflict between them. Noting the experience of applying this model in the political sphere, the author formulates the question: can it be transferred to the field of market research?

The review of the theoretical premises of the observed difficulties shows, that electoral and marketing forecasting faces problems of similar nature. This opens up opportunities for the reciprocal borrowing of methods to overcome these problems.