Chapter Four

Consumer Learning
Consumer Learning
A process by which individuals acquire the purchase
and consumption knowledge and experience that they
apply to future related behaviour.
Learning Processes
 Intentional
 learning acquired as a result of a careful search for
information

. Incidental
- learning acquired by accident or without much
effort
Importance of Learning
 Marketers must teach consumers:
 where to buy
 how to use
 how to maintain
 how to dispose of products
Learning Theories
 Behavioural Theories:  Cognitive Theories:
Theories based on the A theory of learning
premise that learning
takes place as the result based on mental inf
of observable responses ormation processin
to external stimuli. Also g, often in response
known as stimulus to problem solving.
response theory.
Elements of Learning Theories
 Motivation
 Cues
 Response
 Reinforcement
 Reinforcement
 A positive or negative outcome that influences the
likelihood that a specific behaviour will be repeated in
the future in response to a particular cue or stimulus.
Behavioural Learning Theories
 Classical Conditioning
 Instrumental Conditioning
 Modeling or Observational Learning
Classical Conditioning
 Pairing a stimulus with another stimulus that elicits a
known response to produce the same response when
used alone.
Instrumental (Operant) Conditioning
 learning based on a trial-and-error process, with
habits forced as the result of positive experiences
(reinforcement)
Classical conditioning – cont’d
 Classical conditioning is the learning of associations
among events that allows us to anticipate and
represent our environment.
 From this viewpoint, classical conditioning is not
reflexive action, but rather the acquisition of new
knowledge
Strategic Applications of Classical Conditioning

 Repetition
 Stimulus Generalization
 The inability to perceive differences between slightly
dissimilar stimuli.
 Stimulus Discrimination
Classical Conditioning and Marketing Strategy
 Identify and pair product with a known, well-liked
stimulus
 More attention
 More favourable attitudes
 Greater intention to buy the product
 Learning of key attributes
 Use stimulus generalization effectively
 Distinguish the product through effective use of stimulus
discrimination
Instrumental Conditioning
 Consumers learn by means of trial and error process in
which some purchase behaviours result in more
favorable outcomes (rewards) than other purchase
behaviours.
 A favorable experience is instrumental in teaching the
individual to repeat a specific behaviour.
Reinforcement
 Positive  Negative Reinforce
Reinforcement: ment: Unpleasant or n
Positive outcomes that egative outcomes that s
strengthen the likelihood erve to encourage a sp
of a specific response ecific behaviour
 Example: Ad showing  Example: Ad showing w
beautiful hair as a
rinkled skin as reinforce
reinforcement to buy
shampoo ment to buy skin cream
Other Concepts in Reinforcement
 Punishment
 Choose reinforcement rather than punishment
 Extinction
 Combat with consumer satisfaction
 Forgetting
 Combat with repetition
Instrumental Conditioning and Marketing

 Make the product the ultimate reward

 Provide samples and free trials
 Provide non-product rewards
 Practice relationship marketing
 Reinforcement Schedules
 Shaping
 Massed versus Distributed Learning
Cognitive Learning Theory
 Learning through problem solving, which enables
individuals to gain some control over their
environment.
 Three types:
 Observational learning
 Rote Learning
 Reasoning
Observational Learning
 individuals learn by observing the behaviour of others,
and consequences of such behaviour.
 Also known as modeling or vicarious learning.
Iconic Rote Learning
 Learning concepts through simple repetition
 Repeated ads teach consumers about a product’s attributes
Reasoning
 Highest level of cognitive learning
 Involves creative thinking
 Depends on how information is processed and stored
Information processing and Involvement Theory

 Central and Peripheral Routes to Persuasion

 highly involved consumers are best reached through ads that
focus on the specific attributes of the product (the central
route)
 uninvolved consumers can be attracted through peripheral
advertising cues such as the model or the setting (the
peripheral route).
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
 a person’s level of involvement during message
processing determines which route to persuasion is
likely to be effective
The Elaboration Likelihood Model
Involvement
LOW
HIGH

Peripheral Rout
Central Route
e

Message Arg Peripheral Cu

uments Influe es Influence A
nce Attitudes ttitudes
Cognitive Learning and Marketing Strategy
 Use rote learning to teach consumers about the
brand
 Use reasoning or problem solving for complex or
high-involvement products
 Use modelling to extinguish negative behaviour
 Use knowledge of information processing to help
consumers store, retain and retrieve messages.
Measures of Consumer Learning
 Recognition and Recall Measures
 Aided and Unaided Recall
 Cognitive Responses to Advertising
 Copy-testing Measures
 Attitudinal and Behavioral Measures of Brand Loyalty
Attitudes
 A learned predisposition to behave in a consistently
favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a
given object
 A positive attitude is generally a necessary, but not
sufficient, condition for purchase
 Mercedes seen as ‘top of class’ but intention to purchase
was low
Characteristics of Attitudes
 Attitudes have an “object”
 Attitudes are learned
 Can ‘unlearn’
 Attitudes have behavioural, evaluative and affective
components
 Predisposition to act
 Overall evaluation
 Positive or negative feelings
 continued
Characteristics of Attitudes
 Attitudes have consistency
 Attitudes have direction, degree, strength and
centrality
 Positive or negative
 Extent of positive or negative feelings
 Strength of feelings
 Closeness to core cultural values
 Attitudes occur within a situation
Four Basic Functions of Attitudes
 The Utilitarian Function
 How well it performs
 The Ego-defensive Function
 To protect one’s self-concept
 The Value-expressive Function
 To convey one’s values and lifestyles
 The Knowledge Function
 A way to gain knowledge
How are attitudes learned?
 Classical conditioning - through past associations
 Operant conditioning - through trial and
reinforcement
 Cognitive learning – through information
processing
 Cognitive dissonance theory
 Attribution theory
Attitude Models
 Structural Models of Attitudes
 Tri-component Attitude Model
 Multi-attribute Attitude Model
 Both assume a rational model of human behaviour
 Other models of attitude formation
 Cognitive dissonance model
 Attribution theory
Multi--attribute Attitude Models
Multi
 Attitude models that examine the composition of
consumer attitudes in terms of selected product
attributes or beliefs.
 Examples
 Attitude-toward-object Model
 Attitude-toward-behaviour Model
 Theory-of-Reasoned-Action Model
Theory of Reasoned Action

 A comprehensive theory of the interrelationship among

attitudes, intentions, and behaviour
Attitude-Toward-Behaviour Model
 A consumer’s attitude toward a specific behaviour
is a function of how strongly he or she believes that
the action will lead to a specific outcome (either
favorable or unfavorable).
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
 Holds that discomfort or dissonance occurs when a
consumer holds conflicting thoughts about a belief
or an attitude object.
 Post-purchase Dissonance
 Cognitive dissonance that occurs after a consumer
has made a purchase commitment
Attribution Theory
 Examines how people assign casualty to events and
form or alter their attitudes as an outcome of
assessing their own or other people’s behaviour.
 Examples
 Self-perception Theory
 Attribution toward others
Self-Perception Theory
 Attitudes developed by reflecting on their own
behaviour
 Judgments about own behaviour
 Internal and external attributions

 Continued
Self-Perception Theory
 Consumers are likely to accept credit for successful
outcomes (internal attribution) and to blame other
persons or products for failure (external attribution).
 Foot-In-The-Door Technique
Attitudes and Marketing Strategy
 Appeal to motivational functions of attitudes
 Associate product with a special group, cause or event
 Resolve conflicts among attitudes
 Influence consumer attributions
 Continued
Attitudes and Marketing Strategy
 Alter components of the attitude
 Change relative evaluation of attributes
 Change brand beliefs
 Add an attribute
 Change overall brand evaluation
 Change beliefs about competitors’ brands
 Continued
Attitudes and Marketing Strategy
 Change affect first through classical conditioning
 Change behaviour first through operant conditioning
End of the chapter!