On the concept of intentional social action in consumer behavior

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to encourage research on the social aspects of consumer behavior, particularly as found in groups of consumers and manifested through group action. Based on work by leading contemporary philosophers, a new concept of social facts is presented that is grounded in the way members of a group see themselves and the implications of this for group action. Group action, in turn, is shown to require different conceptual schemes than commonly used for individual action or interpersonal and macro social perspectives. Among other ideas, the notion of what it means for a group member to intend that the group act and how individual intentions are contributory to group action are discussed.