Psychological Continuum Model
The Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) is a framework that unites the existing literature from different academic disciplines that are related to consumer research (consumer behavior) and applies it to sport and events. This creates a system through which sports and event consumer behavior can be explained.
Four levels - Awareness, Attraction, Attachment and Allegiance - serve to classify consumer behavior in sport and for events. Examples of this would be active participation in a sport, following a sport as a spectator or fan and any other conceivable form of sport and event consumption. The PCM is a vertical framework that characterizes an individual's psychological attachment to sport or an event. This describes and characterizes the behavior change process that takes place when an individual engages in different sporting activities, processes experiences and gathers experience.
The PCM explains the HOW and WHY of sports and event consumer behavior and shows the influence of personal, psychological and environmental factors on active and passive sports and event consumption.
The framework
The illustration shows the four levels of PCM - Awareness, Attraction, Attachment and Allegiance. The psychological bond of the individual increases with each level. A decision-making process takes place at every level in which inputs (green arrows) influence the internal processes (blue box), which in turn generate outputs (yellow arrows). The individual decision-making processes depend on the strength of the consumer's psychological connection to a sport / team / event.
Inputs ↔ internal processes ↔ output
In PCM there is a vertical movement along the individual levels from awareness to the allegiance level. However, this process is very individual and does not necessarily go through all levels. The evaluation of a sports object in the individual levels is the product of the interplay of personal, psychological and environmental factors.
The levels
Awareness
In the awareness level, the individual comes into contact with a sport / team / event for the first time or learns that a sport / team / event even exists. The individual does not yet have a favorite, is not a fan of a team or does not show any special preferences. The PCM assumes that the awareness level is reached through social contacts. These are mostly parents, friends, in school or the media. In most cases the level of awareness begins during childhood, but can still be reached afterwards when the individual learns something new, which usually happens through new contacts. The value that the individual attaches to the respective sport / team / event from a social point of view is particularly important at the awareness level. Examples of this would be “I know what diving is” or “I know Bayern Munich”.
Take John's Awareness as an example
John's first contact with cycling was at the age of 15 while watching the Tour de France with his uncle Jack. It was also Jack who bought John his first bike, which John rode to school every day, like all the other children. When he was excited about the Tour de France, Jack gave him one of his old racing bikes.
Attraction
In the attraction level, the individual has a positive opinion or a favorite sport, team or hobby. The decision to do so depends on many different motives. These can be socio-psychological, demographic or a mixture of both. Certain needs of the individual are now satisfied through sport, the event or the hobby. Consumer behavior also changes and is influenced by the preferences that have developed. Examples would be “I like diving” or “I like Bayern Munich”.
Example John's Attraction
John quickly noticed that he valued a lot of positive things about cycling. In this way he came into contact with other cyclists, made new friends and was able to spend more time with his uncle. The beautiful nature that he was able to enjoy while cycling and the fun of the speed were other positive aspects. His self-confidence was boosted as he was one of the fastest and best drivers and cycling was always a welcome change from his stressful everyday life.
Attachment
At the attachment level, the positive aspects begin to pass into internal processes. The sport, the event or the hobby gains in emotional, functional and symbolic meaning and the psychological connection increases. The internal processes replace external processes. Examples of this are the statements “I am a diver” or “I am a Bayern Munich fan”.
Example John's Attachment
John goes relatively quickly to the attachment level by training regularly every Saturday and Sunday after a year. Cycling has already played an important role in his life and is starting to become a part of his life. He now often wears cycling clothes at university, spends his free time in bike shops and follows international cycling events on the Internet. With his cycling club and his friends, who are mainly cyclists, he visits regional cycling events.
Allegiance
As the psychological connection in the attachment level grows stronger, the individual slowly moves into the allegiance level. The connection becomes permanent and the resistance to changing preferences, inclinations and behavior increases. Examples for the Allegiance level are “I live for diving” or “I live for Bayern Munich”.
Example of John's Allegiance
John reaches the Allegiance level in his senior year of college. The connection to cycling is so solid that it can be described as permanent. He thinks about cycling every day and it influences his daily activities. Despite university and work, he still finds time to cycle. The very strong psychological connection to cycling determines and guides his behavior.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Funk, DC and James, JD (2001): The Psychological Continuum Model: A conceptual framework for understanding an individual's psychological connection to sport , Sport Management Review Vol. 4 (2), pp. 119-150.
- ^ Daniel C. Funk (2008): Consumer Behavior in Sport and Events. Elsevier, ISBN 978-0-7506-8666-2 .
- ^ Beaton, AA and Funk, DC (2008): An evaluation of theoretical frameworks for studying physically active leisure . Leisure Sciences Vol. 30 (1), pp. 53-70.
- ^ Daniel C. Funk (2008): Consumer Behavior in Sport and Events . Elsevier, ISBN 978-0-7506-8666-2 .
- ↑ Funk, DC (2002): Consumer-based marketing: The use of micro-segmentation strategies for understanding sport consumption . International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship Vol. 4 (3), pp. 231-256.