psykografi

Psykografi is the study and application of psychological attributes to describe, segment, and predict how groups or individuals think, feel, and behave. It focuses on values, attitudes, interests, opinions, lifestyles, and personality traits, rather than purely demographic characteristics like age or income. In practice, psykografi is used to understand motivations behind consumer choices, political opinions, and health behaviors.

Historically, psykografi gained prominence in market research during the mid- to late 20th century alongside the rise of consumer segmentation. Frameworks such as VALS (Values and Lifestyles) and PRIZM popularized psychographic segmentation, combining psychological variables with demographic data to classify populations into meaningful groups. In psychology and social science, psychographic approaches often complement theories of personality and motivation, including models like the Big Five.

Common variables in psykografi include values and beliefs, attitudes toward products or issues, interests and activities, lifestyle choices, and personality traits. Data sources range from structured surveys and interviews to analysis of online behavior, social media, and purchase history. Analytic methods include factor analysis, cluster analysis, and machine learning techniques to identify homogeneous segments and tailor messaging accordingly.

Applications of psykografi span marketing, political communication, and public health. Marketers use psychographic profiles to position products, craft targeted advertisements, and personalize customer experiences. In politics, psykography informs messaging and outreach strategies. Public health campaigns may tailor interventions to specific motivational profiles to improve behavior change.

Critics warn of privacy and ethical concerns, potential stereotyping, and biases in data and interpretation. The dynamic and culturally sensitive nature of values and attitudes can limit the reliability of psychographic models, necessitating careful, transparent, and context-aware use.