From utilitarian to hedonic consumer behavior: An evaluation for the socio-digital age

Abstract

How consumers' consumption activities are shaped and what are the motives that push consumers to some behaviors are very important topics in the economics literature. It is widely accepted that consumption is shaped by utilitarian consumption and hedonic consumption motives. It has been observed that the relative utilitarian dimension of consumer activities and consumer behavior has gradually decreased, and the hedonic dimension has gradually increased in the historical process. With the 21st century, it is evaluated that hedonic motives dominate consumption behaviors. This chapter discusses the evolution of consumer behavior from utilitarian consumption to hedonic consumption by considering utilitarian consumption and hedonic consumption approaches and evaluates the latest point of consumer behavior in the socio-digital age that represents the 21st century.