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Internal Factors And Informational Influences In Consumer Behavior

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Introduction
Internal influence and external influence are the two main factors that contribute to the study in how individuals, groups buy, use and dispose of goods and services. Each of them consists of the varieties of factors affecting consumers in different aspects. Among these factors, reference group has been chosen to become the main topic of this research in order to define and analyse how it influences in consumers purchase decision. The research will focus on the informational influence which is one of the important categories in reference groups to explain in depth how marketers use it to recognize and satisfy consumers’ needs and wants. Having the knowledge of informational influence will help people, especially marketers understand why some particular groups behave as they do.

A reference group is a group whose significant perspectives an individual takes on in forming beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. Reference group influence is described as a three-dimensional concept, consisting of informational, utilitarian, and value-expressive influences (Selvakumar and Keeshan 2010, 6). Informational influence provides with product or issue related information among group members so that information can assist members in decision making-processes when they are faced with choices (Babin and Harris 2014, 151).
The explicit searching behaviour might lead to the informational influence (Babin and Harris 2014, 151). For instance, when a consumer intends

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