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AMITY INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS SCHOOL
MBAIB/IMBA Semester IV
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
PERCEPTION
KOKIL JAIN
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Perception
• The process by which an individual
selects, organizes, and interprets stimuli
into a meaningful and coherent picture of
the world
• How we see the world around us
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The Nature of Perception
• Exposure: when a stimulus comes within range of our
sensory receptor nerves
– Random vs. Deliberate
• Attention: when the stimulus activates one or more
sensory receptor nerves and the resulting sensations go
to the brain for processing
– Low vs. High Involvement
• Interpretation: the assignment of meaning to sensations
– Low vs. High Involvement
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Elements of Perception
• Sensation
• Absolute threshold
• Differential threshold
• Subliminal perception
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Sensation
• The immediate and direct response of the sensory organs to
stimuli
• Sensitivity to stimuli varies with the quality of an individuals
sensory receptors
• Sensation itself depends on energy change within the
environment where the perception occurs (i.e. the
differentiation of input)
• As sensory input decreases , our ability to detect changes in
input increases, to the point that we attain maximum
sensitivity under conditions of minimal stimulation
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The absolute threshold
• The lowest level at which individual can experience a
sensation is called the absolute threshold.
• sensory adaptation-Under conditions of constant
stimulation , the absolute threshold increases.
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Differential Threshold
• Minimal difference that can be detected
between two similar stimuli
• Also known as the just noticeable
difference (the j.n.d.)
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Weber’s Law
• The j.n.d. between two stimuli is not an
absolute amount but an amount relative to
the intensity of the first stimulus
• Weber’s law states that the stronger the
initial stimulus, the greater the additional
intensity needed for the second stimulus to
be perceived as different.
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Marketing Applications
of the J.N.D.
• Marketers need to determine the relevant
j.n.d. for their products
– so that negative changes are not readily
discernible to the public
– so that product improvements are very
apparent to consumers
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Discussion Question
• How might a cereal
manufacturer such as
Kellogg’s use the j.n.d. for
Frosted Flakes in terms
of:
– Product decisions
– Packaging decisions
– Advertising decisions
– Sales promotion decisions
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Subliminal Perception
• Stimuli that are too weak or too brief to be
consciously seen or heard may be strong
enough to be perceived by one or more
receptor cells.
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Is Subliminal Persuasion
Effective?
• Extensive research has shown no
evidence that subliminal advertising can
cause behavior changes
• Some evidence that subliminal stimuli may
influence affective reactions
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Perceptual Selection
• Consumers subconsciously are selective as to
what they perceive.
• Stimuli selected depends on two major factors
– Consumers’ previous experience
– Consumers’ motives
• Selection depends on the
– Nature of the stimulus
– Expectations
– Motives
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Stimulus Factors
• Size and Intensity –
influence the
probability of paying
attention
Larger stimuli are
more likely to be
noticed than a small
one
SIZE NO. OF
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• INSERTION FREQUENCY-THE
NUMBER OF TIMES THE SAME AD
APPEARS IN THE SAME ISSUE OF
A MAGAZINE, HAS AN IMPACT
SIMILAR TO AD SIZE
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Perceptual Selection
• Selective
Exposure
• Selective
Attention
• Perceptual
Defense
• Perceptual
Blocking
• Consumers seek out
messages which:
– Are pleasant
– They can sympathize
– Reassure them of
good purchases
Concepts
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Perceptual Selection
• Selective
Exposure
• Selective
Attention
• Perceptual
Defense
• Perceptual
Blocking
• Heightened
awareness when
stimuli meet their
needs
• Consumers prefer
different messages
and medium
Concepts
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Perceptual Selection
• Selective
Exposure
• Selective
Attention
• Perceptual
Defense
• Perceptual
Blocking
• Screening out of
stimuli which are
threatening
Concepts
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Perceptual Selection
• Selective
Exposure
• Selective
Attention
• Perceptual
Defense
• Perceptual
Blocking
• Consumers avoid
being bombarded by:
– Tuning out
– TiVo
Concepts
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Organization
• Figure and
ground
• Grouping
• Closure
• People tend to
organize perceptions
into figure-and-ground
relationships.
• The ground is usually
hazy.
• Marketers usually
design so the figure is
the noticed stimuli.
Principles
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Organization
• Figure and
ground
• Grouping
• Closure
• People group stimuli
to form a unified
impression or
concept.
• Grouping helps
memory and recall.
Principles
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Organization
• Figure and ground
• Grouping
• Closure
• People have a need for
closure and organize
perceptions to form a
complete picture.
• Will often fill in missing
pieces
• Incomplete messages
remembered more than
complete
Principles
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Interpretation
• Physical
Appearances
• Stereotypes
• First Impressions
• Jumping to
Conclusions
• Halo Effect
• Positive attributes of
people they know to
those who resemble
them
• Important for model
selection
• Attractive models are
more persuasive for
some products
Perceptual Distortion
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Interpretation
• Physical
Appearances
• Stereotypes
• First Impressions
• Jumping to
Conclusions
• Halo Effect
• People hold meanings
related to stimuli
• Stereotypes influence
how stimuli are
perceived
Perceptual Distortion
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Interpretation
• Physical
Appearances
• Stereotypes
• First Impressions
• Jumping to
Conclusions
• Halo Effect
• First impressions are
lasting
• The perceiver is trying
to determine which
stimuli are relevant,
important, or
predictive
Perceptual Distortion
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Interpretation
• Physical
Appearances
• Stereotypes
• First Impressions
• Jumping to
Conclusions
• Halo Effect
• People tend not to
listen to all the
information before
making conclusion
• Important to put
persuasive arguments
first in advertising
Perceptual Distortion
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Interpretation
• Physical
Appearances
• Stereotypes
• First Impressions
• Jumping to
Conclusions
• Halo Effect
• Consumers perceive
and evaluate multiple
objects based on just
one dimension
• Used in licensing of
names
• Important with
spokesperson choice
Perceptual Distortion
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Issues in Consumer Imagery
• Product Positioning and Repositioning
• Positioning of Services
• Perceived Price
• Perceived Quality
• Retail Store Image
• Manufacturer Image
• Perceived Risk
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Positioning
• Establishing a specific image for a brand in
the consumer’s mind
• Product is positioned in relation to competing
brands
• Conveys the concept, or meaning, of the
product in terms of how it fulfills a consumer
need
• Result of successful positioning is a
distinctive, positive brand image
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Positioning Techniques
• Umbrella Positioning
• Positioning against
Competition
• Positioning Based on
a Specific Benefit
• Finding an “Unowned”
Position
• Filling Several
Positions
• Repositioning
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Perceived Quality
• Perceived Quality of Products
– Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Cues
• Perceived Quality of Services
• Price/Quality Relationship
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Perceived Quality of Services
• Difficult due to characteristics of services
– Intangible
– Variable
– Perishable
– Simultaneously Produced and Consumed
• SERVQUAL scale used to measure gap
between customers’ expectation of service and
perceptions of actual service
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Price/Quality Relationship
• The perception of price as an indicator of
product quality (e.g., the higher the price,
the higher the perceived quality of the
product.)