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Finding Articles on Demographics and Psychographic Variables

ABI/Inform Global

This page will show you the steps for finding articles on demographics and psychographic variables in ABI/Inform Global.

Open the ABI/Inform Global link below:

To begin, select the "Advanced Search" option by clicking on the "Advanced Search" tab near the top of the screen.

ABI Inform Global home page with Advanced Search circled

Since ProQuest's ABI/Inform Global database recognizes the term market segmentation as a valid subject heading:

  • Change the drop-down menu adjacent to the top search box from "Anywhere" to "All subjects & indexing--SU", and

  • Type "market segmentation" in the search box.

Advanced Search form: swot analysis in the search box; drop-down set to All subjects & indexing--SU

Since "psychographic variables" is not considered a subject term in ABI/Inform Global, you will need to search for different terms in combination with "market segmentation" as a subject.

Here is one example: The user has typed "psychographic" into the second search box and kept the adjacent drop-down menu as "Anywhere."

Advanced Search form, with psychographic in 2nd search box & Anywhere in 2nd drop-down menu

The results of the above search include citations and full text articles related to the search query.

Results list from the above search

Here are some keywords and phrases you can try using in place of using "psychographic variables":

  • psychological aspects
  • consumer behavior
  • consumer attitudes
  • psychology
  • decision making
  • attitudes
  • perceptions
  • lifestyles

Pick one of these and try searching it in combination with market segmentation as a subject.

Similarly, the term "demographics" can be searched in combination with market segmentation as a subject.

In this example, the user has revised the previous search by typing "demographics" in the second search box and keeping the adjacent drop-down menu as "Anywhere."

Advanced Search form, with demographics in 2nd search box & Anywhere in 2nd drop-down menu

Here are the results of this search:

Results list for the second search

To broaden the search, try searching any of your chosen terms with "Abstract--AB" selected in the drop-down menu adjacent to the search box.

Advanced Search form, with demographics in 2nd search box & Abstract--AB in 2nd drop-down menu

This can extend the search, with slightly less targeted items appearing in the results list.

Results list from the above search