What causes social behaviour?

When explaining the behaviour of your customers, look for economical explanations. Social behaviour usually has local, social causes. These causes are visible more often than they are hidden.

I was a psychologist before I was a semiotician. Psychology students are taught the hallmarks of a ‘good’ theory. Here’s one: A good theory is economical. It explains phenomena using local and nearby factors before reaching beyond the thing being studied. Example: person places baked beans on toast. Economical explanation: they are British and are surrounded by examples of ‘beans on toast’ being a common and ‘normal’ meal for any time of the day. A less economical explanation: they are emotionally drawn to the colour orange because they are an extrovert.

Semiotics is a method that focuses on behaviour – up to and including people making statements about their internal psychology. Most behaviour can be explained with reference to local, cultural norms and the demands of social relationships. These explanations are economical and a first port of call before we explain behaviour with reference to personality, early childhood trauma, astrology or other factors which are remote from the behaviour at hand.

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Kogan Page, Market Research Society (MRS), Lawes Consulting Ltd, Dr Rachel Lawes, Joe Lawes