Chapter 2

Perception

CONSUMER
BEHAVIOR

Copyright 2011 Pearson Education 2-1

 Sensation and Perception
Sensation is the immediate
response of our sensory
receptors (eyes, ears, nose,
mouth, and fingers) to basic
stimuli (light, color, sound, odor,
and texture).
Perception is the process by
which sensations are selected,
organized, and interpreted.

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 Figure 2.1 Perceptual Process

We receive external
stimuli through
our five senses

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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education 2-3
 Hedonic Consumption
Hedonic consumption:
multisensory, fantasy,
and emotional aspects
of consumers
interactions with
products
Marketers use impact of
sensations on
consumers product
experiences
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 Sensory Systems
Our world is a
symphony of colors,
sounds, odors, tastes
Advertisements,
product packages,
radio and TV
commercials,
billboards provide
sensations

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 Vision
Color provokes emotion
Reactions to color are
biological and cultural
Color in the United States
is becoming brighter and
more complex
Colors are associated
with specific companies

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 Vertical-Horizontal Illusion
Which line is longer:
horizontal or vertical?
Answer: both lines are
same length

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 Scents
Odors create mood and
promote memories:
Coffee = childhood,
home
Marketers use scents:
Inside products
In promotions

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 Sound
Sound affects peoples feelings and behaviors
Sound and music are used to create mood
High tempo = more stimulation
Slower tempo = more relaxing

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 Touch
Haptic sensesor touchis the most
basic of senses; we learn this before vision
and smell
Haptic senses affect product experience and
judgment
Kinsei engineering is a Japanese philosophy
that translates customers feelings into
design elements

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 Table 2.1 Tactile-Quality Associations

Perception Male Female

Fine
High class Wool Silk

Low class Denim Cotton

Coarse
Heavy Light

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 Taste
Cultural changes
determine desirable
tastes
The more respect we
have for ethnic dishes,
the more spicy food we
desire

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 Exposure
Exposure occurs when a stimulus comes
within range of someones sensory receptors
We can concentrate, ignore, or completely
miss stimuli
Cadillacs 5 second ad

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 Attention
Attention is the extent to which processing
activity is devoted to a particular stimulus
Consumers are often in a state of sensory
overload
Marketers need to break through the clutter

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 Factors Leading to Adaptation

Intensity Duration

Discrimination Exposure

Relevance

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 Stimulus Selection Factors
We are more likely to notice stimuli that differ
from others around them
So, marketers can create contrast through:

Size Color Position Novelty

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 Creating Contrast with Size

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 Interpretation
Interpretation refers to the meaning we
assign to sensory stimuli, which is based on
a schema

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 Semiotics
Semiotics: correspondence between signs
and symbols and their role in the
assignment of meaning
Marketing messages have three basic
components:
Object: product that is the focus of the
message
Sign: sensory image that represents the
intended meanings of the object
Interpretant: meaning derived
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 Perceptual Positioning
Brand perceptions = functional attributes +
symbolic attributes
Perceptual map: map of where brands are
perceived in consumers minds
Used to determine how brands are
currently perceived to determine future
positioning

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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education 2-20