Chapter 3 Consumer Learning Starts Here: Perception

Learning Outcomes Define learning and perception and how the two are connected List and define phases of the consumer perception process Apply the concept of the JND Contrast the concepts of implicit and explicit memory Know ways to help get a consumer’s attention Understand key differences between intentional and unintentional learning

Defining Learning and Perception Learning - A change in behavior resulting from the interaction between a person and a stimulus Value involves learning, and consumer learning begins with perception Learning can be intentional or unintentional Perception - A consumer’s awareness and interpretation of reality

Elements of Consumer Perception Exposure The process of bringing some stimulus within the proximity of a consumer so that it can be sensed by one of the five human senses Attention The purposeful allocation of information-processing capacity toward developing an understanding of some stimulus Comprehension When consumers attempt to derive meaning from information they receive

Consumer Perception Process Sensing Organizing - Possible reactions Assimilation Accommodation Contrast Reacting

Selective Perception Selective exposure - Involves screening out most stimuli and exposing oneself to only a small portion of stimuli Selective attention - Involves paying attention to only certain stimuli Selective distortion - A process by which consumers interpret information in ways that are biased by their previously held beliefs

Subliminal Processing The way in which the human brain senses low-strength stimuli Stimuli that occur below the level of conscious awareness Subliminal persuasion - Behavior change induced or brought about based on subliminally processing a message

Applying the JND Concept Just noticeable difference (JND) - Represents how much stronger one stimulus has to be relative to another so that someone can notice that the two are not the same

Applying the JND Concept JND - Marketing implications Pricing Quantity Quality Add-on purchases Just meaningful difference - Represents the smallest amount of change in a stimulus that would influence consumer consumption and choice

Implicit and Explicit Memory Explicit memory - Memory for information one is exposed to, attends to, and applies effort to remember Implicit memory - Represents stored information concerning stimuli one is exposed to but does not pay attention to Creates preattentive effects

Mere Exposure Effect Represents another way that consumers can learn unintentionally Relevant points: Preattentive Easy to elicit Greatest effect on novel objects Weak effect Best when consumer has lower involvement

Attention The purposeful allocation of cognitive capacity toward understanding some stimulus Involuntary attention - Attention beyond the conscious control of the consumer and occurs as the result of a surprising or novel stimuli Orientation reflex - A natural reflex that occurs as a response to a threat

Factors That Get Attention Intensity of stimuli Contrast Movement Surprising stimuli Size of stimuli Involvement

Intentional and Unintentional Learning Intentional learning - Consumers set out to specifically learn information devoted to a certain subject Unintentional learning - Consumers simply sense and react (or respond) to the environment

Learning Theories Behaviorist approach to learning - Because the brain is a “black box,” the focus of inquiry should be on the behavior itself Information processing perspective - The focus is on the cognitive processes associated with comprehension, including that leading to consumer learning

Unintentional Learning Classical conditioning - A change in behavior that occurs simply through associating some stimulus with another stimulus that naturally causes a reaction Instrumental conditioning - Behavior is conditioned through reinforcement

Shaping Behavior Shaping is a process through which the desired behavior is altered over time, in small increments Not all reinforcement is positive Negative reinforcement refers to the removal of bad stimuli as a way of encouraging behavior Punishers represent stimuli that decrease the likelihood that a behavior will occur again

Consumer Learning Starts Here: Perception

Learning Outcomes Define learning and perception and how the two are connected. List and define phases of the consumer perception process. Apply the concept of the JND. Contrast the concepts of implicit and explicit memory.

Learning Outcomes Know ways to help get a consumer’s attention. Understand key differences between intentional and unintentional learning.

Define learning and perception and know how the two are connected.

Defining Learning and Perception Learning - A change in behavior resulting from the interaction between a person and a stimulus Value involves learning, and consumer learning begins with perception Learning can be intentional or unintentional Perception - A consumer’s awareness and interpretation of reality

Perception - Example People who want to lose weight are told to use smaller plates and taller, narrower glasses at meals This gives them the illusion of eating more, while they’re actually consuming less The perception of the quantity of food is influenced by plate or glass size

Elements of Consumer Perception Exposure The process of bringing some stimulus within the proximity of a consumer so that it can be sensed by one of the five human senses Sensation - Consumer’s immediate response to this information

Elements of Consumer Perception Attention The purposeful allocation of information-processing capacity toward developing an understanding of some stimulus Comprehension When consumers attempt to derive meaning from information they receive

List and define phases of the consumer perception process.

Sensing A consumer senses stimuli to which he/she is exposed

Organizing Cognitive organization - Process by which the human brain assembles the sensory evidence into something recognizable During this stage, consumers develop: Interpreting and comprehending what the stimuli is

Organizing Possible reactions: Assimilation Accommodation Contrast

Reacting If an object is successfully recognized, chances are some nearly automatic reaction takes place

Selective Perception Selective exposure - Involves screening out most stimuli and exposing oneself to only a small portion of stimuli Selective attention - Involves paying attention to only certain stimuli Selective distortion - Process by which consumers interpret information in ways that are biased by their previously held beliefs

Exposure Occurs when some stimulus is brought within the proximity of a consumer so that it can be sensed Marketers who want to inform consumers about their products must first expose them to information

Subliminal Processing The way in which the human brain senses low-strength stimuli Stimuli that occur below the level of conscious awareness Subliminal persuasion - Behavior change induced or brought about based on subliminally processing a message

Apply the concept of JND.

Applying the JND Concept Just noticeable difference (JND) - Represents how much stronger one stimulus has to be relative to another so that someone can notice that the two are not the same Weber’s Law - The ability to detect differences between two levels of a stimulus is affected by the original intensity of the stimulus

JND: Marketing Implications Pricing Quantity Quality Add-on purchases

JMD (Just Meaningful Difference) Represents the smallest amount of change in a stimulus that would influence consumer consumption and choice

Contrast the concepts of implicit and explicit memory.

Implicit and Explicit Memory Explicit memory - Memory for information one is exposed to, attends to, and applies effort to remember Implicit memory - Represents stored information concerning stimuli one is exposed to but does not pay attention to Creates preattentive effects

Mere Exposure Effect Represents another way that consumers can learn unintentionally Consumers will prefer stimuli to which they have been exposed Once exposed to an object, a consumer exhibits a preference for the familiar object over something unfamiliar

Mere Exposure Effect Relevant points: Preattentive Easy to elicit Greatest effect on novel objects Weak effect Best when consumer has lower involvement

Mere Exposure Effect Mere association effect - Occurs when meaning transfers between two unrelated stimuli that a consumer gets exposed to simultaneously Product placements - Through which promotions can impart implicit memory among consumers Involve branded products placed conspicuously in movies or television shows

Attention The purposeful allocation of cognitive capacity toward understanding some stimulus Involuntary attention - Attention beyond the conscious control of the consumer and that occurs as the result of a surprising or novel stimuli Orientation reflex - A natural reflex that occurs as a response to a threat

Know ways to help get a consumer’s attention.

Factors that Get Attention Intensity of stimuli Contrast Movement Surprising stimuli Size of stimuli Involvement

Comprehension The interpretation or understanding that a consumer develops about an attended stimulus Determines the effectiveness of marketing communication

Understand key differences between intentional and unintentional learning.

Unintentional Learning Consumers set out to specifically learn information devoted to a certain subject Unintentional Learning Consumers simply sense and react (or respond) to the environment

Intentional Learning - Example A consumer wishes to purchase a washing machine. For this, he will have to seek out information intentionally to understand the different types of washing machines available in the market.

Behaviorism and Cognitive Learning Theories Behaviorist approach to learning - Because the brain is a “black box,” the focus of inquiry should be on the behavior itself Information processing perspective - The focus is on the cognitive processes associated with comprehension, including that leading to consumer learning

Classical Conditioning A change in behavior that occurs simply through associating some stimulus with another stimulus that naturally causes a reaction Unconditioned stimulus Conditioned stimulus Unconditioned response Conditioned response

Instrumental Conditioning Behavior is conditioned through reinforcement Positive reinforcers come in many forms in the consumer environment

Shaping Behavior Shaping is a process through which the desired behavior is altered over time, in small increments Punishers represent stimuli that decrease the likelihood that a behavior will occur again Not all reinforcement is positive Negative reinforcement - The removal of bad stimuli as a way of encouraging behavior

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