Consumer Learning

Dr. Sandhya A.S

Memory

Our memory of past experiences with products is the most

influential factor in our future responses to marketing

information about those products

Consumer
Learning

A process by which
individuals acquire the
purchase and
consumption knowledge
and experience
that they apply to
future related behavior.

Learning Processes
Intentional:

Incidental:

learning acquired as a

learning acquired by

result of a careful search

accident or without

for information

much effort

Importance of Learning
Marketers must teach consumers:
About product & features/ attributes/ benefits
where to buy
by whom and for whom the purchase is to be done
how to use, feel and perceive the product
how to maintain
how to dispose of products

Learning is
Continually evolving

Changing

newly acquired knowledge( learning , exposure,

discussion, observation & thinking)

So..
Marketing strategies directed at effective communication

Noted

Believed

Remembered

Recalled

Elements of Learning Theories

Motivation- spur to learning & intensity
Cues stimuli that give direction

Response- reaction to drive

Reinforcement- likely hood of occurrence of

specific response
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Reinforcement

A positive or
negative outcome
that influences the
likelihood that a
specific behavior
will be repeated in
the future in
response to a
particular cue or
stimulus.

Reinforcement

Positive Reinforcement
Positive outcomes that strengthen the likelihood of a
specific response

Ex: Ad showing beautiful hair as a reinforcement to buy shampoo

Negative Reinforcement
Unpleasant or negative outcomes that serve to encourage a
specific behaviour

Ex: Ad showing wrinkled skin as reinforcement to buy skin cream

Other concepts in reinforcement

Punishment

Choose reinforcement rather than punishment.

Extinction
Combat with consumer satisfaction.

Forgetting
Combat with repetition.

Learning Theories
Behavioral Theories: Theories based

Cognitive Theories: A theory of

on the premise that learning takes

learning based on mental

place as the result of observable

information processing,

responses to external stimuli.

often in response to problem

Also known as stimulus

response theory.
Significant in consumer decision

making

solving.

Behavioral Learning Theories

Classical Conditioning
Instrumental Conditioning
Modeling or Observational Learning

What it reminds you?

Classical
Conditioning

A stimulus is paired
with another stimulus
that elicits a known
response that serves
to produce the same
response when used
alone.

Pavlovian Model of Classical Conditioning

Unconditioned Stimulus
Meat paste
Unconditioned Response
Salivation
Conditioned Stimulus
Bell

AFTER REPEATED PAIRINGS

Conditioned Stimulus
Bell

Conditioned Response
Salivation

Pavlovian Model of Classical Conditioning

Unconditioned Stimulus
Brand Name/ logo
Conditioned Stimulus
Ad showing product
features/ attributes

Unconditioned Response
perception

AFTER REPEATED PAIRINGS

Conditioned Stimulus
Ad/ promotion scheme

Conditioned Response
Purchase or use of brand

Strategic Applications of Classical Conditioning

Repetition
Stimulus Generalization

Stimulus Discrimination

Repetition
Repetition increases

strength of associations &

slows forgetting but over
time may result in
advertising wearout.
Cosmetic variations

reduce satiation.
Minor variation

Major variation

Stimulus
Generalization

The inability to
perceive differences
between slightly
dissimilar stimuli.

Stimulus Generalization and Marketing

Product Line, Form and Category Extensions

Line-dove soap/ shampoo / face cream

Family Branding
Licensing
Generalizing Usage Situations

Stimulus
Discrimination

The ability to select a

specific stimulus
from among similar
stimuli because of
perceived differences.

Positioning
Differentiation
-attribute relevant meaningful, valuable to customer

Instrumental
(Operant)
Conditioning
B.F Skinner

A behavioral theory of
learning based on a
trial-and-error
process, with habits
forced as the result of
rewards/ positive
experiences
(reinforcement)
resulting from certain
responses or
behaviors.

A Model of Instrumental Conditioning

Stimulus
Situation
(Need goodlooking jeans)

Try
Brand A

Unrewarded
Legs too tight

Try
Brand B

Unrewarded
Tight in seat

Try
Brand C

Unrewarded
Baggy in seat

Try
Brand D

Reward
Perfect fit
Repeat Behavior

Instrumental Conditioning
Consumers learn by means of trial and error process

in which some purchase behaviors result in more

favorable outcomes (rewards) than other purchase
behaviors.
A favorable experience is instrumental in teaching the

individual to repeat a specific behavior.

Instrumental Conditioning and Marketing

Customer Satisfaction (Reinforcement)
Reinforcement Schedules
Shaping

occasional upgrade or unannounced sale

Massed versus Distributed Learning

Ex: reinforce through product or aided service

Toll-free lines, warranties ,Serving complimentary food or

beverage, Otherwise creating an atmosphere thats pleasant

Three types of reinforcement schedules:

1. Continuous/total (every time)

2. Systematic/fixed ratio (every nth time)
3. Random/variable ratio

Reinforcement
Positive

Reinforcement:

Negative

Reinforcement:

Unpleasant or negative
Positive outcomes that
strengthen the likelihood outcomes that serve to
encourage a specific
of a specific response
behavior
Example: Ad showing
Example: Ad showing
beautiful hair as a
wrinkled skin as
reinforcement to buy
reinforcement to buy skin
shampoo
cream
Fear appeal in ads

Instrumental Conditioning and Marketing

Customer Satisfaction (Reinforcement)
Relationship Marketing

Reinforcement Schedules (apart from product quality):

Continuous / fixed / variable ratio reinforcement

Shaping (reinforcement before the desired consumer

behavior actually take place)

Massed versus Distributed Learning

Observational
Learning

A process by which
individuals observe
the behavior of
others, and
consequences of
such behavior. Also
known as modeling
or vicarious
learning.

Vicarious Learning

Cognitive
Learning Theory

Holds that the kind

of learning most
characteristic
of
human beings is
problem
solving,
which
enables
individuals to gain
some control over
their environment.

Appeal to Cognitive Processing

Information
Processing

A cognitive theory of
human
learning
patterned
after
computer information
processing
that
focuses
on
how
information is stored
in human memory
and
how
it
is
retrieved.

Information Processing and Memory

Stores

Sensory
Input

Sensory
Store

Forgotten;
lost

Rehearsal

Working
Memory
(Shortterm
Store)

Forgotten;
lost

Encoding

Longterm
Store Retrieval

Forgotten;
unavailable

Models of Cognitive Learning

Sequential
Stages
of
Processing

Promotional
Model

Tricompetent
Model

DecisionMaking
Model

Innovation
Adoption
Model

Attention

Cognitive

Awareness
Knowledge

Awareness

Interest
Desire
Action

Affective
Conative

Innovation
Decision
Process

Knowledge

Interest
Evaluation Evaluation Persuasion
Purchase
Trial
Decision
Postpurchase Adoption Confirmation
Evaluation

Involvement
Theory

A theory of consumer
learning which
postulates that
consumers engage in a
range of information
processing activity
from extensive to
limited problem
solving, depending on
the relevance of the
purchase.

Figure 7.14

Split Brain
Theory
Right/ Left Brain
Hemispheres specialize
in certain functions

Elaboration
Likelihood
Model
(ELM)

A theory that suggests

that a persons level of
involvement during
message processing is
a critical factor in
determining which
route to persuasion is
likely to be effective.

Central and
Peripheral
Routes to
Persuasion

A theory that proposes that

highly involved consumers
are best reached through ads
that focus on the specific
attributes of the product (the
central route)
while uninvolved consumers
can be attracted through
peripheral advertising cues
such as the model or the
setting (the peripheral route).

The Elaboration Likelihood Model

Involvement
HIGH

LOW

Central
Route

Peripheral
Route

Message
Arguments
Influence
Attitudes

Peripheral
Cues
Influence
Attitudes

Peripheral
Route to
Persuasion

Measures of Consumer Learning

Recognition and Recall Measures
Aided and Unaided Recall

Cognitive Responses to Advertising

Attitudinal and Behavioral Measures of Brand

Loyalty