Final answer:
Social groups and demographic characteristics significantly influence consumer purchases by shaping opinions and behaviors. Advertising with its various aspects also plays a critical role in affecting consumer attitudes, which directly impact purchasing decisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Influence on Consumer Purchases
A consumer's purchases are often influenced by the views, opinions, or behaviors of others. One aspect of this personal influence is the impact of social groups, such as family, friends, and coworkers, on our opinions and behaviors. These social groups can significantly shape our attitudes towards different products or services, leading to conformity or the adoption of similar purchasing decisions. Another aspect is demographic characteristics, which can influence how people feel about certain issues and, consequently, the products they choose to buy. Furthermore, attitudes encompass an affective component (feelings), a behavioral component (how the attitude affects behavior), and a cognitive component (belief and knowledge), all of which can be shaped by both internal influences such as cognitive dissonance and external forces like advertising and social norms. In particular, features of advertising such as the source, message, and audience play critical roles in persuasion and ultimately in influencing purchase behavior.