Weaknesses with psychographical models are that they currently tend
to reflect a western social hierarchy and culture. As a result these frame-
works are not always easily transferred to different social settings.
Cultural values may mean that aspirations are different than those repre-
sented by western values of individualism, self-development and status.
These models also do not easily represent the flatter social class structures
that occur in certain cultures such as Scandinavia.
Some critics of the approach would also argue that these broad lifestyle
profiles are not accurate predictors of consumers purchasing behaviour in
any particular market sector. An outer-directed individual who may, in
general, buy status products may not buy branded goods in a market area
where there is very little risk of damage to their self-image. The soap pow-
der they buy is unlikely to be of major significance to the way they feel
about themselves or about the way other people see them. However, the
car they drive or the clothes they wear is likely to be a much more signifi-
cant indicator of their status to both themselves and others.
Lifestyle segmentation has led to the proliferation of acronyms to
describe consumer groupings (see Figure 4.16).72 Strategic Marketing: Planning and ControlGroups Sub-groups (% of UK population)
Sustenance-drivenare Aimless: This group includes the young
concerned about material security unemployed and elderly drifters (5%)
Survivorsworking class people who retain
traditional attitudes (16%)
Belongersthis sub-group straddles the
sustenance driven and outer-directed
groups. They are a conservative family-
orientated group
(The sub-group is 18% of the UK
population in total; 9% in the
sustenance driven group.)
Outer-directed Belongers(9%), this half of the sub-group
are still conservative and family orientated
but are also status driven.
Conspicuous consumersare driven by a
desire for status (19%)
Inner-directed Social resisters,this group are caring and
tend to hold doctrinaire attitudes (11%).
Experimentalistsare individualistic and are
interested in the good life (14%)
Self-explorershold less doctrinaire atti-
tudes than the social resistors and are less
materialistic than the experimentalist sub-
group (17%)Figure 4.15
The Monitor
framework
developed by the
Taylor Nelson
research agency