Consumer behavior
Chapter 7-14
Chapter 7
Problem recognition and information search
First step in consumer decision-making process > problem recognition
(consumer recognizes a problem that needs to be solved.)
- Consumer searches for information to solve the problem either
internally; from memory or externally from outside sources (experts,
magazines or ads)
7.1 Problem recognition
Consumer decision process begins when:
- Person identifies a consumption problem that needs to be solved
o (I need a new car, or I would like some new clothes)
Problem recognition: The perceived difference between an actual and
ideal state
- This is a critical state in de decision-making process > motivates the
consumer to action
Ideal state: The way we want things to be
Actual state: Current state; the way things actually are
- How the consumers perceive it now
Problem recognition occurs if consumers are aware of a discrepancy
(=gap/difference) between the actual state and the ideal state
- My car needs frequent repairs > new car
- My clothing is out of date > new clothing
The greater the discrepancy(=gap/difference) between the actual and the
ideal state, the higher the level of motivation, ability and opportunity, the
more likely consumers are to act.
If consumers do not perceive a problem their motivation to act will
be low
The expectations and aspirations (= ambitions/goals/aims) are often
stimulated by our own personal motivation (what we want to be based on
our self-image)
1. Social class can exert (= invloed uitoefenen) an influence:
a. Consumers want to be accepted by members of their class or
to raise to their social standing
b. Leading them to aspire to a higher ideal state
2. Reference groups
a. We strive to be accepted by others
b. Reference groups also serve as a guide to our behavior
,Changes in personal circumstances (getting a promotion/ becoming a
parent) can instigate (= initiate/trigger) new ideal states.
Our perception of the actual state can be influenced by a variety of
factors:
- Physical factors
o Running out of a product
o Having a product malfunction
- External stimuli
o This can suddenly change your perception of the actual state
7.2 Internal search: searching for information from memory
After problem recognition has been stimulated > consumer begins the
decision-making process to solve the problem.
- Next step is internal search
Internal search: The process of recalling stored information from
memory
Consumers have limited capacity/ability to process information (and
memory can decay (=vervallen) over time) consumers are likely to recall a
small subset of stored information when they engage in internal search.
Researchers are investigating the:
1. Extent of the search
2. Nature of the search
3. Process by which consumers recall information, feelings and
experiences and enter them into decision process.
The effort consumers devote to internal search depends on their MAO to
process information.
- Consumers will attempt to recall more information when felt
involvement, perceived risk or the need for cognition is high
Consumers can engage in active internal search only if the information is
stored in memory.
Consumers can recall information from the memory only if they have the
opportunity to do so, time pressure or distractions will limit internal search.
,Recall (=oproepen/herinneren) of four major types of information:
1. Brands
2. Attributes
3. Evaluations
4. Experiences
Recall of brands
- Rather than remembering all available brands in any given situation,
consumers tend to recall a subset of two to eight brands known as a
consideration or evoked set.
- The consideration set consist of brands that are top of mind or easy
to remember
- Small consideration set is necessary because consumers’ ability to
recall brand information decreases as the size of the set increases.
o If they do not recall the entire set from memory, stored
information aids (=helps) the recognition process.
o Example: stored info can help consumers identify brands on
the shelfs
Consideration (or evoked set) = the subset of top-of-mind brands
evaluated when making a choice.
Consideration sets vary in terms of their size, stability, variety and
preference dispersion (=variation in preferences)
(= the equality of preferences towards brands or products in the set.)
Consumers have a stronger consideration sets when things are familiar
Brands that are recalled, are more likely to be chosen
If consumers cannot recall a brand from memory to form a consideration
set, the set will tend to be determined by external factors such as the
availability of the products on the shelf or the suggestions of the
salespeople.
Factors that increase the possibility of consumers recalling a particular
brand during internal search, and including that brand in their
consideration set:
1. Prototypicality
2. Brand familiarity
3. Goals and usage situations
4. Brand preference
5. Retrieval cues
, Factors that increase the possibility of consumers recalling a particular
brand during internal search, and including that brand in their
consideration set:
Prototypicality
o Consumers recall brands more easily that are closest to the
prototype or that most resemble other category members.
Example: when you think of a tablet, an apple iPad is
most likely to comes up to mind first, as it is the
prototype of the tablet category.
Brand familiarity
o Well-known brands are more easily recalled during internal
search than unfamiliar brands, because memory links
associated with these brands tend to be stronger.
Goals and usage situations
o Consumers have goal-derived and usage-specific categories in
memory (drinks to bring to the beach), the activation of these
categories will determine which brands they recall during
internal search.
Brand preference
o Brands toward which the consumers had positive attitudes
tend to be recalled more easily and tend to be included in the
consideration set more often than brands that evoke (=trigger)
negative attitudes.
Retrieval cues
o Associating the brand with a retrieval cue, increases the
chance that the brand will be included in the consumers
consideration set.
Jingle/slogan die je aan het merk doet denken
Recall of attributes
- We can only access a small portion of information stored in memory
during internal search.
- We cannot remember specific facts about a product/service because
our memory of details decreases over time.
- The attribute information we recall tends to be in
summary/simplified rather than in its original detail.
- Consumers can often recall some details when they engage in
internal search, and the recalled attribute information can strongly
influence their brand choices.
Chapter 7-14
Chapter 7
Problem recognition and information search
First step in consumer decision-making process > problem recognition
(consumer recognizes a problem that needs to be solved.)
- Consumer searches for information to solve the problem either
internally; from memory or externally from outside sources (experts,
magazines or ads)
7.1 Problem recognition
Consumer decision process begins when:
- Person identifies a consumption problem that needs to be solved
o (I need a new car, or I would like some new clothes)
Problem recognition: The perceived difference between an actual and
ideal state
- This is a critical state in de decision-making process > motivates the
consumer to action
Ideal state: The way we want things to be
Actual state: Current state; the way things actually are
- How the consumers perceive it now
Problem recognition occurs if consumers are aware of a discrepancy
(=gap/difference) between the actual state and the ideal state
- My car needs frequent repairs > new car
- My clothing is out of date > new clothing
The greater the discrepancy(=gap/difference) between the actual and the
ideal state, the higher the level of motivation, ability and opportunity, the
more likely consumers are to act.
If consumers do not perceive a problem their motivation to act will
be low
The expectations and aspirations (= ambitions/goals/aims) are often
stimulated by our own personal motivation (what we want to be based on
our self-image)
1. Social class can exert (= invloed uitoefenen) an influence:
a. Consumers want to be accepted by members of their class or
to raise to their social standing
b. Leading them to aspire to a higher ideal state
2. Reference groups
a. We strive to be accepted by others
b. Reference groups also serve as a guide to our behavior
,Changes in personal circumstances (getting a promotion/ becoming a
parent) can instigate (= initiate/trigger) new ideal states.
Our perception of the actual state can be influenced by a variety of
factors:
- Physical factors
o Running out of a product
o Having a product malfunction
- External stimuli
o This can suddenly change your perception of the actual state
7.2 Internal search: searching for information from memory
After problem recognition has been stimulated > consumer begins the
decision-making process to solve the problem.
- Next step is internal search
Internal search: The process of recalling stored information from
memory
Consumers have limited capacity/ability to process information (and
memory can decay (=vervallen) over time) consumers are likely to recall a
small subset of stored information when they engage in internal search.
Researchers are investigating the:
1. Extent of the search
2. Nature of the search
3. Process by which consumers recall information, feelings and
experiences and enter them into decision process.
The effort consumers devote to internal search depends on their MAO to
process information.
- Consumers will attempt to recall more information when felt
involvement, perceived risk or the need for cognition is high
Consumers can engage in active internal search only if the information is
stored in memory.
Consumers can recall information from the memory only if they have the
opportunity to do so, time pressure or distractions will limit internal search.
,Recall (=oproepen/herinneren) of four major types of information:
1. Brands
2. Attributes
3. Evaluations
4. Experiences
Recall of brands
- Rather than remembering all available brands in any given situation,
consumers tend to recall a subset of two to eight brands known as a
consideration or evoked set.
- The consideration set consist of brands that are top of mind or easy
to remember
- Small consideration set is necessary because consumers’ ability to
recall brand information decreases as the size of the set increases.
o If they do not recall the entire set from memory, stored
information aids (=helps) the recognition process.
o Example: stored info can help consumers identify brands on
the shelfs
Consideration (or evoked set) = the subset of top-of-mind brands
evaluated when making a choice.
Consideration sets vary in terms of their size, stability, variety and
preference dispersion (=variation in preferences)
(= the equality of preferences towards brands or products in the set.)
Consumers have a stronger consideration sets when things are familiar
Brands that are recalled, are more likely to be chosen
If consumers cannot recall a brand from memory to form a consideration
set, the set will tend to be determined by external factors such as the
availability of the products on the shelf or the suggestions of the
salespeople.
Factors that increase the possibility of consumers recalling a particular
brand during internal search, and including that brand in their
consideration set:
1. Prototypicality
2. Brand familiarity
3. Goals and usage situations
4. Brand preference
5. Retrieval cues
, Factors that increase the possibility of consumers recalling a particular
brand during internal search, and including that brand in their
consideration set:
Prototypicality
o Consumers recall brands more easily that are closest to the
prototype or that most resemble other category members.
Example: when you think of a tablet, an apple iPad is
most likely to comes up to mind first, as it is the
prototype of the tablet category.
Brand familiarity
o Well-known brands are more easily recalled during internal
search than unfamiliar brands, because memory links
associated with these brands tend to be stronger.
Goals and usage situations
o Consumers have goal-derived and usage-specific categories in
memory (drinks to bring to the beach), the activation of these
categories will determine which brands they recall during
internal search.
Brand preference
o Brands toward which the consumers had positive attitudes
tend to be recalled more easily and tend to be included in the
consideration set more often than brands that evoke (=trigger)
negative attitudes.
Retrieval cues
o Associating the brand with a retrieval cue, increases the
chance that the brand will be included in the consumers
consideration set.
Jingle/slogan die je aan het merk doet denken
Recall of attributes
- We can only access a small portion of information stored in memory
during internal search.
- We cannot remember specific facts about a product/service because
our memory of details decreases over time.
- The attribute information we recall tends to be in
summary/simplified rather than in its original detail.
- Consumers can often recall some details when they engage in
internal search, and the recalled attribute information can strongly
influence their brand choices.
