Role of Needs and Motivation in Consumer Behaviour

MOTIVATION
Motivation is the driving force that compels individuals to act and reveals the reasons for behaving in a particular way. Needs are unfulfilled things that require some course of action to fulfill. Unfulfilled needs develop motivational desires that compel consumers towards purchases. The desire to fulfill needs develops tensions in minds of consumers; consumers strive to relieve these tensions consciously or subconsciously, by forming purchase-related goals.  Personality characteristics influence the selection of ways to achieve purchase-related goals. Personality is the unique composition of one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.
NEEDS
Human needs are two types: Physiological needs which endure physical existence, such as food, water, air, clothing, shelter, and sex. Psychogenic needs are learned from interactions with family, society, and peer groups. They are needs for self-esteem, prestige, affection, power, and achievement.
NEED AROUSAL
Individuals’ needs are inactive much of the time. Any biological stimuli, emotional or cognitive processes, or stimuli in the outside environment stimulate the need at a specific moment. Example: Physical arousal may happen through the smell of food, so the feeling of hunger is developed and tension is created to fulfill the need.  Hence, Promotional messages are designed with the intention of arousing the needs of consumers. The main function of creative promotional communications is to arouse needs by stimulating a psychological desire in consumers’ minds. The goal of the consumer then becomes to act on the desire, and reduce the tension by buying products.

GOALS
Goals are the expected results of motivated behavior. In consumer behavior goals are categorized to:
Generic goals: They are the outcomes that consumers try to satisfy physiological and psychological needs.
Product-specific goals: They are outcomes that consumers try to satisfy physiological and psychological using a specific product or service
NEEDS AND GOALS ARE INTERDEPENDENT
Needs and goals are connected to each other. A goal can’t exist without a need; a need will not be created without a goal.  Human needs are never completely or permanently satisfied. As individuals achieve a goal, they develop new goals. The need for achieving future goals is developed only after fulfilling the immediate goals.