Final answer:
The study of consumer behavior in the 1940s was originally focused on the purchase of necessary items. However, as the decade progressed, especially in the post-war era, consumerism shifted towards desires for luxuries, enabled by the availability of credit and a growing middle class, with advertising pushing the emotional appeal of products.
Step-by-step explanation:
Consumer Behavior Study in the 1940s
The line of thinking that characterized the study of consumer behavior in the 1940s was focused primarily on the basic needs and functional aspects of consumer goods. During this period, marketing strategies revolved around the postulate that consumers prioritized necessity over luxuries. The consumer behavior was straightforward and predictable, directed by the scarcity of the wartime and the immediate post-war era. However, after World War II and moving into the 1950s, there was a noticeable shift towards consumerism as the economy transitioned to a period of peace and prosperity. This period saw the rise of the middle class with disposable incomes that could be spent on a growing array of products and services. As the middle-class expanded, the desire for products moved from needs to wants, marking a pivotal change in consumer behavior.
The availability of credit also played a crucial role. Easy access to credit cards and installment plans transformed the purchasing habits of Americans who began spending more confidently. Increasingly, people started to buy goods on credit with the optimism of a continuing prosperous era. Planned obsolescence further propelled the consumer culture, with marketers encouraging the replacement of possessions before they had worn out, tapping into consumers' desire for the latest products.
A significant marker of this transition was the change in advertising philosophy that began earlier in the 1920s. Advertisers and marketers started focusing on emotional appeal and the symbolization of success through possessions. This emotional connection to products, suggesting that they could bring hope, dreams, and social status, was a significant departure from the more utilitarian view of consumer goods in the earlier years.