The Undermining of Beliefs in the Autonomy and Rationality of Consumers

O'Shaughnessy (business emeritus, Columbia U.) and O'Shaughnessy (marketing and communications, U. of London) move away from the postmodern theory that consumers are driven beasts completely lacking in rationality by taking a middle road that allows for a consumer that is neither entirely autonomous nor perfectly rational. They analyze current thinking about the consumer unconscious and free will, noting the relegation of free church as top-down marketers continue to struggle for dominance, and they note the inroads such business people make into the adaptive unconscious of consumers, who stoutly defend their independence while generally buying what is placed before them, noting the process is more subtle and complex than many marketers understand. The bulk of their argument, however, is in their response to postmodern attacks on rationality and modernity, which they answer handily by invoking reality. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

John O’Shaughnessy is Emeritus Professor of Business at the Graduate School of Business, Columbia University, New York.

Nicholas O’Shaughnessy is Professor of Marketing and Communications at Queen Mary, University of London.