Becoming a Consumer Psychologist

Written by two scholars at the forefront of conducting research on the psychology of consumers and mentoring those new to the field, Becoming a Consumer Psychologist provides a guide to what it takes to become a consumer psychologist, and achieve success in this area. Monga and Bagchi lay out the varied experiences that lead one to be a consumer psychologist in academia, marketing, or public policy. The book discusses the academic route in detail, guiding you on how to apply to schools, including for a Ph.D., what courses to take, and what to expect during your educational experience and after. It also discusses other routes that lead to diverse non-academic career paths in which practitioners apply their knowledge about consumer psychology. The authors' guidance is backed by their own experiences as consumer psychology researchers, mentors, and journal Associate Editors; and the insights that the authors have gathered exclusively for this book from 23 other leading academics and practitioners. This book is essential reading for anyone looking to start their career in consumer psychology, and for mentors and advisors who are guiding students about career choices.

Ashwani Monga is Professor of Marketing at Rutgers Business School, and Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor at Rutgers University, Newark, USA. Rajesh Bagchi is Professor of Marketing and Department Head at Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech, USA.

Preface About the Authors Chapter 1. The Field of Consumer Psychology Who is a consumer psychologist? Diverse Profiles of Consumer Psychologists Chapter 2. Studying to Become a Consumer Psychologist Diversity in Educational Pathways Graduate Degrees in Consumer Psychology Coursework Related to Consumer Psychology Chapter 3. What Consumer Psychologists Do Consumer Psychologists at Universities Consumer Psychologists Outside of Academia Chapter 4. Graduate Students in Consumer Psychology Choosing Graduate Schools to Apply to Getting into a Graduate School of Choice Doing Well in Graduate School Chapter 5. The Destination of Consumer Psychologists Applying to a Faculty Position Securing a Job as a Faculty Member Doing Well as a Faculty Member Non-Academic Destinations Chapter 6. Continuing on the Consumer Psychology Journey Positives and Negatives of the Journey Words of Advice from a Few Consumer Psychologists Conclusion Appendix: Verbatim Responses of Several Consumer Psychologists A. Why I Think of Myself as a Consumer Psychologist B. How I Became a Consumer Psychologist C. What I Like and Dislike about Being a Consumer Psychologist D. What Advice I Have for Those Considering Consumer Psychology E. How I See the Field of Consumer Psychology Evolving References Index