Tarasova, T. V. The Concept of Consumer Behavior Standard in the Market Economy

Abstract: The article studies consumption behavior from the point of view of the consumption standard as a combination of reproducing consumer practices typical for particular social groups. Consumption is viewed as a social and cultural phenomenon. The central goal of consumption is to use useful properties of goods and services being consumed for the purpose of satisfying one’s personal needs. The author of the article describes a three-stage model of consumer behavior standards. This model reflects the process of formation and interdependence of traditional, constructed and actual consumption standards. The author analyzes definitions of consumption standards existing in modern science. Special attention is paid at the conception of cognitive market within which the consumption standard is formed based on consumption technologies and serves as an intermediate in the process of formation of consumer culture. Based on the above mentioned three-stage model and definitions, the author offers a definition of the consumption standard from the point of view of sociological approach to studying consumption behavior and analyzes the main elements of consumption behavior such as stereotypes, fashion, style life, style and consumption structure, consumption patterns and norms. In conclusion the author outlines specific features of the consumption behavior standard as a social category.

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