Sociology and the Study of Consumer Behavior.

The article comments on sociology and the study of consumer behavior. The activities by which money is earned in the process of production are by no means so neglected by sociologists but the study of the disposal of the rewards of these activities has only rarely fallen within the practical scope of sociological investigation. The problems which sociologists have in moving into consumer research is one which characterizes all branches of applied social science. The sociologist, reared in a community which is centrally concerned with questions of objectivity and value-neutrality, is obviously concerned at the prospect of having to accept the values of the business community which may differ from his own and those of his colleagues. The social scientist in this position would benefit from contact with recent empirical research which suggests that in an advanced economy with discretionary income running at very high levels it is the firm which is manipulated into providing products which consumers want and are willing to purchase, especially since, in a competitive economy, there are always alternative sources of supply. And, for those sociologists who remain unconvinced of this, the question provides an excellent opportunity for the study of business ideologies. Further, a wider appreciation of what advertising and other promotional efforts can and cannot achieve is important for the study of nearly all economic activity.