Should consumer behavior research consider human biological and evolutionary roots?
Yes, according to Prof. Saad, who is now likely to be banished from the Faculty Lounge in the business building to the one in the biology building for potentially forcing scores of marketing majors to wake up for those 7:45 evolutionary biology labs. Prof. Saad’s recent paper chastises colleagues for a “collective amnesia” in failing to consider that “consumers are biological beings shaped by a common set of evolutionary forces.” One can imagine “Black Friday” evolutionary forces: delay discounting, hunting and gathering, and reward syndromes.
So, do consumers still shop? The social aspect of physically going shopping seems to be important. For instance, although broadband internet availability reduces commute-time driving (with the availability of telecommuting), recreational driving does not decrease. J. Giglierano J. and M. Roldan, “Effects of Online Shopping on Vehicular Traffic,” Mineta Transportation Institute 1-20
(October 2001) (N.b., no new data found, particularly in view of high gas prices). People still like to go to the mall. Biology? Evolution? Who knows.