Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
EXPLORING CONSUMER NEEDS WITH LEWIN'S LIFE SPACE PERSPECTIVE
Kim, Kee-Ok; Hwang, Hye-sun
Type:
Year:
2011
Editor:
Culley, S.J.; Hicks, B.J.; McAloone, T.C.; Howard, T.J. & Badke-Schaub, P.
Author:
Series:
ICED
Section:
Human Behaviour in Design
Page(s):
214-223
Abstract:
Consumer needs are assumed to be originated from tensions between perceptions of the self and the environment by which the whole psychological field, life space, is developed. Dual research problems are developed from this proposition; one is to approach a basic framework of consumer life space and the other is to explore consumer needs from different life spaces for comparing distinctive characteristics within and across different life spaces. The former is developed with three nations’ time use studies from which all possible human activities are listed, clustered, and re-clustered to obtain a basic framework for consumer life spaces. Three GT studies collect consumer needs on learning, a kitchen, and an imaging device for representing those needs from a self, a family, and a leisure/cultural life space, respectively. Consumer needs are repeatedly clustered and underlying three dimensions in consumer needs are deduced: self- vs. others-oriented, functional vs. emotional, and autotelic vs. instrumental. The three dimensions produce eight types of consumer needs, with which distinctive characteristics of consumer needs from different life spaces become manifested.
Keywords:
