Do you really know what consumer behaviour is?

Abstract

The objective of this present article is to make clear the consumer behavior concept and its impolications, highighting confusing and simplificatying perspectives over the area, which involves conceptual as well as practical problems in their origins. this reductionism or oversimplification conduces to the observation and treatment of Consumer Behavior as a synonym for Market or Satisfaction Research; taking into account the buying process only. After the presentation of a brief reference about the concepts and the implications on Marketing, playing more attention to Consumer Behavior, it will be presented the results of interviews which reised some conceptions about what the study of consumer behavior represents to several people in different areas of activities and level of eduction, offering contributions for a reassessment of the position and image of this study field, as well as to warn about conceptual and comprehension problems that can impair the evolution of this field and the professional perspective in this area.