REFERENCES

1) Adams, J. S., "Inequity in .Social Exchange." In L. Berkowitz (ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology , 2, New York: Academic Press, 1965.

2) Armstrong, J. S., "Role Conflict in Marketing or the Ox and the Fox,"
Oslo: Symposium, "New Directions in Marketing," 1976.

3) Atkinson, J. W. , An Introduction to Motivation , New York: Van Nostrand, 1964.

4) Campbell, J. P., Dunnette, M. D., Lawler, E. El and Weick, K.'E.-, Managerial Behavior, Performance, and Effectiveness , New York: McGraw-Hill, 1970.

5) Campbell, J. P. and Pritchard, R. D., "Motivation Theory in Industrial and Organizational Psychology." In M. D. Dunnette (ed.), Handbook of

6) Organizational Psychology , Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.

7) Porter, L. W. and Lawler, E. E., Mana gerial Attitudes and Performance ,
Homewood, IL: Irwin, 1968.

8) Porter, L. W. and Mitchell, V. F., "Comparative Study of Need Satisfactions in Military and Business Hierarchies," Journal of Applied Psychology, 51 (April 1967

9) Tolman, E. C, Purposive Behavior in Animals and Men , New York: Appleton-
Century-Crofts, 1932.

10) Van Raaij, W. F., "Economic Psychology and Marketing," Oslo: Symposium
"New Directions in Marketing," 1976.

11) Walster, E. and Walster, G. W. , "Equity and Social Justice," Journal of
Social Issues, 31 (Summer 1975).

DIARY

1st week

8 packaged salads mix – Greek, Barba Stathis
Corn
Eggs
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Cauliflower
Lemons
Oranges
Apple juice
Yoghurt Total 2% - 1 packet
Coffee
1/d kg minced veal
Apple Juice Amita
Chlorine
Azax for Floor Cleaning

2nd week

5 packaged salads mix – Greek Barba Stathis
Cheese
Rice
Yoghurt Total 2%
Mushrooms canned
Canned Tuna
Spaghetti
Kitchen Paper
Napkins
Green Lola

3rd week

Pumaro Tomatoe Juice
Chicken legs
6 packaged salads mix – Barba Stathis
Fish Sticks
Lays Grain Chips
½ kg liver
Spinach
Garlic
Onions
Azax for windows cleaning

4th week

Coffee
Sugar
Blue cheese
Toast bread
5 packaged salads mix – Barba Stathis
Tomatoes
Lemons
Vinegar
Olive Oil
Color Catchers
Cajoline fabric softenet
Dove for shower

After having kept a four week period diary with the products I purchase the most, I noticed that I tend to consume vegetable salads most regularly. Amongst tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and radishes I mostly consume packaged salads mix. In the question why I mostly bought packaged salads mix over another product is that salads offer me a super convenient way to have my lunch at work and help me be in shape. Salads and especially packaged salads mixs help me avoid eating carbohydrates and high calorie foods. When I am starved, salads can satisfy my hunger without having to face fats. Moreover, salads help me keep a healthy skin. In addition, salads could be a snack or a meal if extra ingredients are added. Last but not least, salads give me the opportunity to have a low-calorie lunch, rich in fibers in a relatively reduced cost. All the afore-mentioned benefits of eating salads are not the aim of this study. We have all heard that nutrient-rich plant foods contribute to our overall health! We also know that if we eat salads frequently which they are full in antioxidants such as folic acid and vitamins, our body is protected from damage. Well, I cannot imagine a day passing without enjoying my favorite salad! The point here is to better understand the factors which have influenced me to have this specific buying behavior. These factors can be social, cultural, psychological e.t.c. The emphasis is going to be given on psychological factors which can be further categorized into my specific motivations, beliefs and attitudes, learning and perceptions. The major psychological factor which urges me to consume green vegetables is emotional factor and that is because I am very emotional person easily affected many times by my uncontrolled feelings. There are many times that I feel so stressed out or being in a so hectic way of life that there is an underlying desire to be motivated into a more pleasant and healthy way of life. I believe that I mostly consume salad mix because this generates positive emotions and that is why I am absolutely satisfied and loyal in my choice. Of course, I have tried a couple of brand names in packaged mixed salads but I have to admit that only Barba Stahis brand has kept me satisfied with the quality of his products.

In a few words I can say that I am highly motivated to eat salads by my working environment. It gives me a feeling that I do the right thing for myself and that this way I defeat my anxiety! Usually, my fellow employees are used to eating salads during a break and I then realize that there is an underlying peer pressure. But it is something more than just following a pattern. Successful advertisements showing thin girls eating low-calorie meals being in excellent shape without a hint of cellulite has mostly made me follow this eating pattern. I can say I have completely changed my initial perceptions created from my past experiences. I used to eat a lot of chocolate to satisfy my hunger and a lot of carbohydrates. But now a variety of factors which I will cite below, have made me change my consuming perception and subconsciously seek quality and low fat. These have also influenced my beliefs and attitudes and now I follow a completely different way of life than I used to do in the past. Moreover, the fact that I live on my own and I have little time for myself due to the many working hours makes me seek for something easy to prepare and healthy at the same time. That is why packaged salad mixes seems to be the best solution for me many times! Of course, I have to admit that sometimes I just feel bored to do anything and that is why such choices seem to e rather convenient! I have also noticed that many times I am “marketing” driven. There is no doubt that salads are good for our health but the fact that I have become a salad "maniac" is a completely different case. There are several psychological selling tricks which have influenced me for so long and would not have noticed them if I didn't have to explain them. Reciprocity is one of them! After several days during which I used to go shopping vegetables from a specific market in my neighborhood, I realized that I was given a coupon which gave me the right to try for free a new packaged salad mix. This offer made feel obliged and without even understanding it I ended up buying the specific salad mix to return the favor. This was not enough for adopting my habit eating packaged salads mixs but it was something happening in a subconscious level which reinforced my initial need for salads. Sometimes I could not exactly decide to buy packaged salads mix for lunch and I was about buying crackers or cheese pies. I had not realized why I always ended up buying packaged salads mix in the end. It was not just my perception that healthy way of life suits me better. Many times there was other thing behind this theory. Scarcity which in the end implied urgency for me! Specific offers in packaged mixed salads in special prices for a limited time. Without even realizing it I chose salad in the end. Some other times I realized that I didn't really want to buy salads. There are sometimes that I even do not want to follow a healthy way of life and I need "fat" and "calories". I have many times felt that I was somehow urged to buy packaged salad mix. When I give a deepest thought, I realize that when there is a great offer in such packages, everybody is waiting in line to buy them. Then I say to myself that they could not be wrong all of them and that these packages are a bargain! This is a unique emotion which really arouses me and reduces every negative emotion I may have at this time as a great benefit for me. This is a procedure happening if fractions of a second when I realize I am already in the cashier waiting to pay for the packaged salads I have already bought! Last but not least and although I do not feel as a market victim, there are many times those authorities messages penetrate my subconscious and make me act accordingly! That happened when I saw my favorite actress on an ad eating salad to be fit and for a moment I felt extremely jealous of her! That was another time I had salad without even wanting it! I have to admit that this habit of eating too much packaged salads mixs has more advantages and very few disadvantages. Firstly, eating greed vegetables is a very nice way to lower carbohydrate consumption and consequently calorie consumption. It is an alternative way to accompany your meat or fish without eating potatoes for example. Thus, you can reduce your calorie intake significantly! Every time I purchase packaged salads mix instead of something else I feel happy that with very little money I can have something healthy and especially ready for consumption. I hate preparing large meals so this is an easy way to accompany my portions of food. Apart from weight maintenance, every time I buy green vegetables I feel happy because due to antioxidants and vitamins they contain, diseases are prevented and my health is prolonged. Another advantage of packaged - canned food is that although many of them are seasonally produced when packaged can be available all year long. When I choose to buy my salads from a farmer's market then I know that I can have the highest quality and in large quantities. But in that case the problem is that the opening times are limited and the markets can be very crowded. But there are also some other disadvantages from purchasing that product over another. For instance, with almost the same amount of money I could buy chicken or pasta. When I do not buy additional food to accompany my packaged salads mix I know I cannot fulfill all my nutritional needs. I also know that very little from fat and proteins are provided this way so that my skin, bone tissue, blood and muscles can be maintained. Buying a packaged salad mix instead of other products may cause nutrient disorders in the long term. On the other hand, vegetables are not completely free of calories. Because more amount of quantities are required in order to satisfy my hunger, there is still the risk of getting more calories that I initially thought. Another drawback is the high prices of organic salads due to strict regulations that organic farmers face to grow smaller quantities. Last but not least, when I buy cooked vegetables like spinach for instance, I know it is going to cost me far higher that fresh because the cost of labor and other overheads are going to be passed to me. I have to admit that I am pretty satisfied with my purchase choice in packaged salads mix and especially satisfied with the specific brand of Barba Stathis because their products are fresh and of high quality. Moreover, the prices are very nice although an bit more expensive that others but I would not choose another brand because I have already done this a couple of times in the past and I was disappointed with the quality and the quantity of the product. In addition, the specific firm guarantees satisfaction and if something goes wrong it can pay the customer out. The consumption of packaged salads mix has a symbolic performance for me which has to do with the image enhancement performance.
My great satisfaction of consuming packaged salads mix of the specific brand has incurred my loyalty to the brand and that is why I am going to continue that kind of purchases not only because I have already adopted a healthier way of life but also because the specific brand has made me feel emotionally attached although the switching costs if I decided to adopt another solution are not high.