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Does Darwinism Drive Consumer Choice?

Gad Saad

Concordia University's Gad Saad with his new book linking evolutionary traits to consumer behaviors. He will give a free lecture at the UA.

Psychologist who says evolutionary theory drives consumerism and marketing will lecture at the UA.


By Jeff Harrison, University Communications
January 16, 2008

Forget the Galapagos Islands. If you want to see Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in action, head to the nearest department store.
So says Gad Saad, author of the newly released book, “The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption,” in which he credits tenets of evolutionary theory as drivers of consumer behavior. It is the first academic work to make these ties.
Saad will discuss the key points of his book in a free lecture at The University of Arizona in February. He is an evolutionary consumer psychologist and associate professor of marketing at Concordia University's John Molson School of Business in Monreal.

The Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing and the Retailing and Consumer Sciences Graduate Program in the UA's Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences are hosting a public lecture with Saad on Monday, Feb. 18, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Student Union Catalina Room. Saad also will hold seminars for students during his visit.

In his book, Saad argues that many consumption acts can be mapped onto four Darwinian modules (survival, reproductive, kin and reciprocity). The contents of cultural products, such as advertising images, song lyrics and music videos, movie and television themes, self-help books, etc., are “manifestations of our evolved biological heritage.”

Saad also sees various forms of dark-side consumption, like pathological gambling or compulsive buying, that follow evolutionary behavior.

Saad will also discuss some of the ongoing and recently completed research, including the relationship between men’s testosterone levels and conspicuous consumption, the effects of women’s menstrual cycles on consumption. This relates to what he calls the ultimate of all consumption choices, selecting a mate.

Saad has published dozens of scientific works, many of which lie at the intersection of evolutionary psychology and a broad range of disciplines, including medicine, behavioral game theory, marketing, advertising and consumer behavior.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

et cetera

  • What | Dennis and Chris Miller Speakers’ Series in Retailing and Consumer Sciences
  • When | Monday, Feb. 18, 1 p.m.
  • Where | Student Union Catalina Room
  • Contact Info

    Soyeon Shim, director
    Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences
    520-621-7147
    shim@ag.arizona.edu
     


    RSVP

    Annette Garcia

    amgarcia@email.arizona.edu


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