ABSTRACT
Relationship between personal values and consumer behavior is virtually axiomatic in the social sciences that personal values have some manner of influence on behavior. Indeed, values are often defined as such. A number of studies have provided supporting evidence for this notion, demonstrating that values relate to behavior in a variety of domains. These studies focus on three areas of inquiry: methodological issues with respect to the measurement of personal values; individual differences in value stability, value meaning and value importance; and theoretical and conceptual issues relating to the importance of both antecedent and intervening variables in the value-behavior relationship. However, Shrum, CartyJohn (the authors) argue that they have the potential to greatly influence marketing practice, and are therefore necessary and important precursors to the application of values theory. The chapter presents some of the authors own studies that have addressed issues in these three areas. The results have been encouraging.
