Professor Embraces the Power of Mindfulness

Professor Embraces the Power of Mindfulness 

Sunaina Chugani Marquez

What compels us to purchase certain products or brand names? And why do some purchases seem to bring us more long-term happiness than others?  

San Diego State marketing professor, Dr. Sunaina Chugani Marquez, has pondered these questions for some time. Her interest in this type of consumer behavior was prompted by observing customers in her parents’ Southern Texas jewelry store. She was particularly intrigued by customers who would purchase fine jewelry then return it the following month when they were unable to pay their rent. 

Chugani’s interest in what motivates consumers to purchase luxury products - even when it may compromise their well-being - eventually led her to earn a Ph.D. in marketing with a focus on consumer behavior from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Immediately after earning her Ph.D. Chugani began working as a professor of marketing at Baruch College in New York City where she taught and researched for four years. “I loved living in New York City and working at Baruch College,” she recalled. “But when my husband and I began thinking of starting a family, we decided to relocate. At the same time, SDSU had an opening for a professor specializing in consumer behavior and, as it turned out, the Fowler College of Business ended up being the perfect fit for me.” 

Connecting Mindfulness with Consumer Decisions
When Chugani started at SDSU in 2017, she brought her interest and research experience in the topic of “mindfulness” and how it can be coupled with the study of consumer behavior. “Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without judgement and noticing what is happening inside of us and outside of us with a sense of curiosity and acceptance,” said Chugani. “I love applying such self-awareness practices to the study of consumer behavior to better understand the needs individuals are meeting through their buying decisions.” 

One example of this is when Chugani helped a student discover why she loved the lululemon brand of activewear. “She realized that wearing lululemon helped her feel a sense of belonging with her friends who wear the same brand.” Chugani noted that “understanding the motivations beneath our consumption decisions is powerful because it allows us to ask questions like ‘How can I get my need for belonging met in perhaps a deeper way than consuming specific products?’ Maybe we realize we can spend more time with family and friends, join groups that share our values and interests, spend more time in self-connection, and so on. In this way we get more choice and freedom, which helps us create a life that is in greater alignment with what we truly care about.” 

Dr. Sunaina Chugani Marquez creates her podcast, "The Happy Wanderers" with her husband, Matt (left)

“Finding Joy and Compassion in a World that Could use a Little More”
Chugani takes her passion for mindfulness and self-awareness beyond her research and her work in the classroom. She and her husband co-host The Happy Wanderers podcast, which talks “about finding joy and compassion in a world that could use a little more.” The couple recently paused their work at Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County, where they taught courses on nonviolent communication, but they plan to start teaching there again in the future. 

Currently, Chugani teaches two consumer behavior classes (MKTG 371) and she also teaches compassion through her student community service projects that strive to empower members of the local population. “I’ve supervised student-led service projects in my classes that support local nonprofits with marketing services like creating websites and revamping social media strategies,” Chugani noted. “In the past, we’ve helped Brilliance Inside and College Area Community Garden and, this semester, we are working with Rise Up Industries. I love seeing the enthusiasm from the students to do good and I hope to continue to cultivate that effort.”