Introduction

Since the organization of consumer behavior as an integrated field of studies during the 1970s, marketing scholars have pursued lines of inquiry into differences in consumption behaviors across cultural and sub-cultural boundaries. The melding of diverse bodies of theory from psychology, social psychology, sociology, social and cultural anthropology, and economics has resulted in a convergent literature which helps us to understand the complexities of consumption in a wide variety of contexts and individual situations. For a complete reprint of this article contact Haworth Press by telephone (1-800-HAWORTH) or EMAIL (getinfo@haworthpressinc.com). Article copyright The Haworth Press, Inc.