Psychology and consumer behaviour

Answer all questions.

3 (a) Outline an associative learning explanation for consumers’ preference for
product colour (Grossman and Wisenblit, 1999). [2]
(b) Outline two methods used to collect data in the study by Porublev et al. (2009) on
gift-wrapping. [4]
(c) Explain one strength and one weakness of the study by Porublev et al. [6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about environmental influences on

consumers (cognitive maps of retail locations, crowding in retail environments,
shopper movement patterns). [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about environmental influences on
consumers (cognitive maps of retail locations, crowding in retail environments,
shopper movement patterns), including a discussion of cultural bias.
[10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by ‘satisficing’ in consumer decision-making. [2]

(b) Describe ‘prospect theory’ in consumer decision-making. [4]
(c) Explain two weaknesses of prospect theory in consumer decision-making.
[6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about selling the product (sales
techniques, interpersonal influence techniques, ways to close a sale). [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about selling the product (sales
techniques, interpersonal influence techniques, ways to close a sale), including a
discussion on usefulness.

3 (a) Explain what is meant by ‘utility theory’ in consumer decision making. [2]
(b) Describe system 1 (fast-type) and system 2 (slow-type) thinking of a consumer
(Shleifer, 2012). [4]
(c) Explain two weaknesses of system 1 (fast-type)/system 2 (slow-type) thinking as
categorised by Shleifer, 2012. [6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about retail/leisure environmental

design. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about retail/leisure environmental
design, including a discussion about self reports. [10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by ‘customer focused sales technique’ used for selling a
product. [2]
(b) Describe how the data was collected in the study by Porublev et al. (2009) on gift
wrapping. [4]
(c) Explain two weaknesses of the study by Porublev et al. (2009). [6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about intuitive thinking and its
imperfections in consumer decision-making. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about intuitive thinking and its
imperfections in consumer decision-making, including a discussion of the
experimental method. [10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by a ‘cognitive map’ in relation to retail environments. [2]
(b) Describe the self-report used in the study by Machleit et al. (2000) on crowding in
retail environments. [4]
(c) Explain one strength and one weakness of self-reports, using the Machleit et al.
study as an example. [6]
4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about types of advertising and
advertising techniques. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about types of advertising and
advertising techniques, including a discussion on the use of children in psychological
research. [10]
3 (a) Explain what is meant by ‘customer focused sales technique’ used for selling a
product. [2]
(b) Describe how the data was collected in the study by Porublev et al. (2009) on gift
wrapping. [4]
(c) Explain two weaknesses of the study by Porublev et al. (2009). [6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about intuitive thinking and its
imperfections in consumer decision-making. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about intuitive thinking and its
imperfections in consumer decision-making, including a discussion of the
experimental method. [10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by a ‘model of communication’ with reference to

advertising. [2]
(b) Describe McCarthy’s ‘4 Ps marketing mix’ model of advertising. [4]
(c) Explain one similarity and one difference between McCarthy’s 4 Ps marketing mix
model of advertising and Lauterborn’s 4 Cs marketing mix model of advertising. [6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about sound and consumer
behaviour. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about sound and consumer
behaviour, including a discussion on ecological validity. [10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by ‘attention and shelf position’ and its effect on product
choice. [2]
(b) Describe the ‘consumer decision model’ for buying a product. [4]
(c) Explain one strength and one weakness of the ‘consumer decision model’ for
buying a product. [6]
4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about menu design psychology. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about menu design psychology,
including a discussion on validity. [10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by ‘attention and shelf position’ and its effect on product
choice. [2]
(b) Describe the ‘consumer decision model’ for buying a product. [4]
(c) Explain one strength and one weakness of the ‘consumer decision model’ for
buying a product. [6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about menu design psychology.
[8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about menu design psychology,
including a discussion on validity. [10]

3 (a) Finlay et al. (2006) studied the Kranes playground design of leisure
environments. Explain what is meant by ‘playground design’ as a casino design. [2]
(b) Describe the pleasure-arousal model and the cognition-emotion model of the
effects of ambience. [4]
(c) Explain two weaknesses of one of these models of the effects of ambience. [6]
4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about ‘buying the product’. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about ‘buying the product’,
including a discussion of usefulness. [10]
3 (a) Finlay et al. (2006) studied the Kranes playground design of leisure
environments. Explain what is meant by ‘playground design’ as a casino design. [2]
(b) Describe the pleasure-arousal model and the cognition-emotion model of the
effects of ambience. [4]
(c) Explain two weaknesses of one of these models of the effects of ambience. [6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about ‘buying the product’. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about ‘buying the product’,
including a discussion of usefulness. [10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by the term ‘choice heuristics’ in consumer decision-
making. [2]
(b) Outline two aims of the study by Wansink et al. (1998) on consumer decision-
making. [4]
(c) Explain the validity of the study by Wansink et al. (1998). [6]
4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about communication and
advertising models. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about communication and
advertising models, including a discussion about applications to everyday life. [10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by the term ‘choice heuristics’ in consumer decision-
making. [2]
(b) Outline two aims of the study by Wansink et al. (1998) on consumer decision-
making. [4]
(c) Explain the validity of the study by Wansink et al. (1998). [6]

4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about communication and

advertising models. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about communication and
advertising models, including a discussion about applications to everyday life. [10]

3 (a) Explain what is meant by the term ‘choice blindness’. [2]

(b) Outline the findings of the study into advertising and false memory by Braun-
LaTour et al. (2004). [4]
(c) Discuss the practical applications of conducting research into advertising and false
memory. [6]
4 (a) Describe what psychologists have discovered about advertising applications. [8]
(b) Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about advertising applications,
including a discussion on cultural bias. [10]