This is my presentation on the role of context in market research for Asia Research seminar on 27 May 2014 in Singapore. The presentation explores the importance of understanding cultural history, the difficult of translating meaning as well as language, and how context and emotion relate to human behaviour. The conclusion is that all research needs to start from an appreciation of the emotional context of human behaviour.

1. Context Matters
27 May 2014
Neil Gains

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What do brain science & semiotics have in
common?

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“It depends …”
• Cultural history
• Situated meaning
• Context & emotion

4. Collective rice, individual wheat?
Recent research reveals a strong correlation
between scores for individualism/collectivism
and the local staple food. Does the additional
effort need to grow rice encourage a more
collective mindset?

5. Dimensions of culture
Power
distance
Uncertainty
avoidance
Individualism -
Collectivism
Tough -
Tender
Time
orientation
Restraint -
Indulgence
Individualism-Collectivism is one of
Hofstede’s six dimensions of culture.

6. The residual meanings of rice
Security
Energy
Hard work
Integrity
Home
Family
Fertility
Balance
Natural
Healthy
Daily necessity
Harmony
Peaceful
Satisfaction
Happiness
Simplicity
Honesty
Variety
Gentle
Comfortable
Freedom
Worry free
Home
Balanced health
Gentleness
Cleansing
In order to understand today’s behaviours it
helps to understand the history of meanings
associated with those behaviours.

7. The mythology of rice
The mythology of Emperor Shen Nong and the
rice goddess Guan Yin still inform many of the
meanings associated with rice in China.

8. The dominant meanings of rice
Security
Energy
Hard work
Integrity
Home
Family
Fertility
Balance
Natural
Healthy
Daily necessity
Harmony
Peaceful
Satisfaction
Happiness
Simplicity
Honesty
Variety
Gentle
Comfortable
Freedom
Worry free
Home
Balanced health
Gentleness
Cleansing

9. Divider slide
The meaning of eating rice
Sense
Sign
Appearance
Golden
outside
White
inside*
Mouthfeel
Feeling
of
substance
(3
dimensional)*
Not
thin
Not
too
hard
Texture
Chewability
(not
mel<ng
too
quickly)*
Contras8ng
texture
A:ertaste
Rice
cues
*most critical sensations for the rice experience
A food product has to be
‘substantial’ and coloured white
inside to trigger the experience of
eating rice.

10. The language of rice
Security
Energy
Hard work
Integrity
Home
Family
Fertility
Balance
Natural
Healthy
Daily necessity
Harmony
Peaceful
Satisfaction
Happiness
Simplicity
Honesty
Variety
Gentle
Comfortable
Freedom
Worry free
Home
Balanced health
Gentleness
Cleansing

11. Divider slide
A daily necessity
“Have you eaten rice today?”
“你吃饭了吗？”
Rice is a daily necessity of
life, embedded in daily
language too. But how can
you translate the meaning of
this expression?

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Language and translation
“I’m not saying a literal translation is
impossible, only that it’s not a
translation.”
Octavio Paz

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Translating meaning NOT words
Charismatic
Great idol
Role model
We can translate words, but words
alone can never convey the cultural
context and meaning of what is spoken.

14. Behaviour is framed by contextual triggers
and emotional rewards
Context is a trigger of behaviour that
leads to an emotional reward.

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Contextual triggers and emotional rewards
in evolutionary psychology
Scary movie
Popular choice
Self protection
Romantic movie
Exclusive choice
Status
[Source: Kenrick & Griskevicius, The Rational Animal, 2013]

16. Emotional goals across cultures
[Source: Shalom Schwartz, J Social Issues, 1993]
Much research in human motivation has
focused on the differences between cultures.

17. Motivation & dimensions of culture
Indulgence
Pragmatism
(Long term
orientation)
Tough
Uncertainty
avoidance
Individualism
Power distance
These differences are also seen in
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions.

18. Context & emotion in research
Order Change
Belonging
Ego
If you want to understand
human behaviour, you
have to start with goals
and emotional context

19. Emotional context of Credit Cards & Health Insurance
0
20
40
60
80
100
WARRIOR
(COMPETITIVE)
ARTIST
(CREATIVE)
EXPLORER
(DISCOVERY)
REBEL
(REBELLION)
JOKER
(FUN)
SEDUCER
(INTIMATE)
EVERYMAN
(BELONGING)
CAREGIVER
(CARED
FOR)
IDEALIST
(TRADITIONAL)
RULER
(STABLE)
GURU
(WISE)
CATALYST
(CONFIDENT)
Credit
Cards
Health
Insurance
Hong Kong, general sample, August 2013
The emotional context
of health insurance is
control and care, that of
credit cards is control,
competitiveness and
discovery.

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Meaning needs emotional context
• The meaning of translation
• Understand cultural stories
• Context triggers, emotion rewards

21. Thank You
www.tapestryworks.asia
For more information please contact:
neil@tapestryworks.asia