Mentality research a gogo #1

Today I met with my students who deal with tackling mentality issues. The core question was what mentality is. Good question. My IMAB model has been food for thoughts. But surely, it is only version 0.1. The Doves have added content to the model (Matthijs please post your addition to the model. If you cannot post it as a comment then mail me your stuff so I can put it on-line), the Jumpers are looking for ways to continue their research. Before moving back to the comprehensible and, as Harry van Vliet would say: ‘making it small’, we have decided to do a brown paper session, a brain storm on words on what mentality is. Then, we’ll test it with reference groups. Finally we will use the outcomes in our workshop half April during the Crossing Cultures event in Utrecht. The result of this is – hoping – ontology of ‘mentality’ that we can use to conduct straight forward research on this issue.

Research on mentality approaches. Let the show begin

The reason for not having published more over the last weeks is because I have had a very tight time schedule. Now, this week, we have a small vacation. I can proudly say that we have officially started the research program on mentality approachesabout three weeks ago. With we, I mean my students Noora Al-Ani (Finland), Heli Kleemola (Finland), Masoud Banbersta (Iran) as team ‘Jumpers’ and Niniane Veldhoen (Netherlands) and Matthijs Rotte (Netherlands) as team ‘Doves’ and me. Of course, the program will be tutored by Harry van Vliet and undoubtedly I will get support from my fellows. So, what do we mean by mentality approach?

My definition of mentality is: A habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations[1]. If this is true – the Jumpers and Doves are currently conducting desk research on definitions and scopes of mentality – a mentality approach would be business model(s) to target audiences based on the mentality (mentalities) of consumers. So, basically, this research theme is about new target audience segmentation models. 

The Jumpers (don’t ask me why they are called as such but Jump is the name of a special program in the faculty’s ICM, International Communication and Media) focus on cultural differences in mentality approaches of Amnesty International in Finland and The Netherlands. This team will also study the mentality approaches of the Eurovision Song Contest (o lordy lord). The key question is: Do these institutions use mentality approaches and if yes, what are they and can we determine the cultural differences? 

The Doves will research the SoV – Share of Voice – in primarily spontaneous use of the brand name Dove (personal care products by Unilever) and the sentiment of use in social media. Again, we are looking for mentality issues in SoV (see entry about Brand to Community).  I must say that I am proud to conduct this research (as part of a larger research with Saxxion University and various non-educational institutions) and assist the students in their themes.

As always, if you have any suggestions regarding this research, please tell them. So, let the show begin. I’ll keep you posted.

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[1] Source: wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn