Research on social values has been shown to be beneficial in market segmentation. This article describes the List of Values (LOV), a methodology that may allow comparison and contrast of values. Details of the methodology and recent research using it are described, and data analysis strategies are discussed.

The authors investigate the impact of advertising beauty images on female preadolescents and adolescents. An experiment using 4th, 8th, and 12th graders demonstrated that exposure to advertising with highly attractive models raises comparison standards for physical attractiveness, but does not affect self‐perceptions of physical attractiveness. The findings also suggest that the tendency of female pre‐adolescents and adolescents to compare themselves to models in ads increases with age, and this tendency is greater for those with lower self‐perceptions of physical attractiveness and/or self‐esteem. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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The death of a loved one causes a deterioration in decision-making skills at a time when new decision roles may be required and financial resources suddenly constricted or increased. The authors investigate this phenomenon by studying grievers’ interfaces with the marketplace to uncover how rituals help grievers cope with their desire to avoid decision making. The authors interview survivors and persons who interact with grievers on a regular basis. Although most of the transactions discussed were ethical and honest, there were some cases of insensitivity and overcharging or mischarging. The authors note that underlying the post-death transactions was the grievers’ desire to withdraw from them, which indicates their reduced awareness of what transpired during the transactions. They conclude with recommendations for service providers and an appeal for broadened legislation.

Beginning with the 2006-2007 academic year, the U.S. government required that all federally funded schools have local wellness policies to promote healthful living and reduce obesity among their students; however, little evidence exists on which school food policies are effective. This article finds evidence that prohibiting à la carte junk food sales during meals reduces the likelihood that students will be overweight or obese by 18 percentage points. The data are merged student-parent-school survey responses collected from a small sample of schools in one Great Plains state. The estimation controls for students' activity levels, genetics, and socioeconomic factors; parents' activity levels and attitudes; and the overall mix of school marketing policies that promote healthful eating and drinking habits. The results indicate that banning à la carte junk food sales is a potentially effective policy to reduce the likelihood of students being overweight and obese.