The Elements of Consumer Learning
Learning Objective
1. 5.1 To understand the elements of learning.
Learning is the process by which individuals acquire the purchase and consumption
knowledge and the experience they apply to future, related behavior. Consumer
learning is a process that evolves and changes as consumers acquire knowledge
from experience, observation, and interactions with others. This newly acquired
knowledge affects future behavior. It ranges from simple and often reflexive responses
to marketing stimuli (such as packaging, product colors, and promotional messages), to
learning abstract concepts and making decisions about purchasing complex and
expensive products.
consumer learning
The process through which consumers acquire knowledge from experiences with
products and observations of others’ consumption, and use that knowledge in subsequent
buying.
Not all learning is deliberately sought. Although much learning is intentional (i.e., it is
acquired as the result of a search for information), a great deal of learning
is incidental, acquired by accident or without much effort. For example, some ads may
induce learning—by providing information like in the ad featured in Figure 5.1—
without learning being deliberately sought, whereas other ads are sought out and
carefully read by consumers contemplating major purchases. Learning consists of four
elements: motives, cues, responses, and reinforcement.
Motives
Uncovering consumer motives is the primary objective of marketers who seek to teach
consumers how they can fill their needs by buying certain products and brands. Unfilled needs
lead to motivation, which spurs learning. For example, men and women who want to take up
bicycle riding for fitness and recreation are motivated to learn all they can about bike riding and
practice often. They may seek information concerning the prices, quality, and characteristics of
bicycles and learn which bicycles are the best for the kind of riding they do. These consumers
will also read any articles in their local newspapers about bicycle trails and seek online
information about “active vacations” that involve biking or hiking. Conversely, individuals who
are not interested in bike riding are likely to ignore all information related to that activity. The
degree of relevance, or “involvement,” determines each consumer’s level of motivation to search
for information about a product or service and, potentially, engage in learning.
motivation
The driving force within individuals that impels them to act.
Cues Cues are stimuli that direct motivated behavior. An advertisement for an exotic trip that
includes bike riding may serve as a cue for bike riders who might suddenly “recognize” that they
“need” a vacation. The ad is the cue (or stimulus) that suggests a specific way to satisfy a salient
motive. In marketing, price, styling, packaging, advertising, and store displays are cues designed to
persuade consumers to fulfill their needs by buying specific products. cues Stimuli that direct
motivated behavior. Only cues that are consistent with consumer expectations can drive motivation.
, Thus, marketers must provide cues that match those expectations. For example, consumers expect
designer clothes to be expensive and to be sold in upscale retail stores. Thus, high-fashion
designers should sell their clothes only through exclusive stores and advertise only in upscale
fashion magazines. Each aspect of the marketing mix must reinforce the others if cues are to
become stimuli that guide consumer actions in the direction the marketer desires.
Responses
In the context of learning, response is an individual’s reaction to a drive or a cue. Learning can occur
even when responses are not overt. The automobile manufacturer that provides consistent cues to a
consumer may not always succeed in stimulating a purchase. However, if the manufacturer
succeeds in forming a favorable image of a particular automobile model in the consumer’s mind, it
is likely that the consumer will consider that make or model when he or she is ready to buy a car.
Response Reaction to a drive or cue. A response is not tied to a need in a one-to-one fashion. Indeed,
as noted in Chapter 3, a need or motive may evoke a whole variety of responses. For example, there
are many ways to respond to the need for physical exercise besides riding bicycles. Cues provide
some direction, but there are many cues competing for the consumer’s attention. Which response
the consumer makes depends heavily on previous learning; that, in turn, depends on how previous,
related responses have been reinforced.
Reinforcement
In learning, particularly in instrumental conditioning, it is a reward, in the form of pleasure,
enjoyment, and other benefits, for a desired behavior. In consumer behavior, it is the benefits,
enjoyment, and utilities that consumers receive from products purchased.
Reinforcement is the reward—the pleasure, enjoyment, and benefits—that the
consumer receives after buying and using a product or service. For the marketer, the
challenge is to continue to provide consumers with an ongoing positive product or
service, thus reinforcing future purchases. To illustrate, if a person visits a restaurant for
the first time, likes the food, service, and ambience, and also feels he or she received
value for the money paid, that customer was reinforced and is likely to dine at the
restaurant again. If that person becomes a regular customer, the restaurant’s owner
should further reinforce the customer’s continued patronage by, for example, giving the
customer a free drink and recognizing the person by name upon arrival. Of course, the
quality of the food and service must be maintained, as they are the key elements
reinforcing the customer’s continued visits. In contrast, if a patron leaves a restaurant
disappointed with the quality of the food or the service or feels “ripped off,”
reinforcement has not occurred. Because of the absence of reinforcement, it is unlikely
that the customer will visit the restaurant again.
Figure 5.2 applies the four elements of learning to Procter & Gamble’s introduction of
Febreze, a spray that eliminates bad smells. The figure illustrates the effects of
Febreze’s initial positioning, which did not follow the principles of learning; the product
did poorly. When the product was repositioned in a manner consistent with the
principles of learning, it sold much better. 1
FIGURE 5.2 Procter & Gamble’s Febreze
Source: Charles Duhigg, “How Companies Learn Your Secrets,” nytimes.com February 16, 2012.
Figure 5.2 Full Alternative Text
Learning Objective
1. 5.1 To understand the elements of learning.
Learning is the process by which individuals acquire the purchase and consumption
knowledge and the experience they apply to future, related behavior. Consumer
learning is a process that evolves and changes as consumers acquire knowledge
from experience, observation, and interactions with others. This newly acquired
knowledge affects future behavior. It ranges from simple and often reflexive responses
to marketing stimuli (such as packaging, product colors, and promotional messages), to
learning abstract concepts and making decisions about purchasing complex and
expensive products.
consumer learning
The process through which consumers acquire knowledge from experiences with
products and observations of others’ consumption, and use that knowledge in subsequent
buying.
Not all learning is deliberately sought. Although much learning is intentional (i.e., it is
acquired as the result of a search for information), a great deal of learning
is incidental, acquired by accident or without much effort. For example, some ads may
induce learning—by providing information like in the ad featured in Figure 5.1—
without learning being deliberately sought, whereas other ads are sought out and
carefully read by consumers contemplating major purchases. Learning consists of four
elements: motives, cues, responses, and reinforcement.
Motives
Uncovering consumer motives is the primary objective of marketers who seek to teach
consumers how they can fill their needs by buying certain products and brands. Unfilled needs
lead to motivation, which spurs learning. For example, men and women who want to take up
bicycle riding for fitness and recreation are motivated to learn all they can about bike riding and
practice often. They may seek information concerning the prices, quality, and characteristics of
bicycles and learn which bicycles are the best for the kind of riding they do. These consumers
will also read any articles in their local newspapers about bicycle trails and seek online
information about “active vacations” that involve biking or hiking. Conversely, individuals who
are not interested in bike riding are likely to ignore all information related to that activity. The
degree of relevance, or “involvement,” determines each consumer’s level of motivation to search
for information about a product or service and, potentially, engage in learning.
motivation
The driving force within individuals that impels them to act.
Cues Cues are stimuli that direct motivated behavior. An advertisement for an exotic trip that
includes bike riding may serve as a cue for bike riders who might suddenly “recognize” that they
“need” a vacation. The ad is the cue (or stimulus) that suggests a specific way to satisfy a salient
motive. In marketing, price, styling, packaging, advertising, and store displays are cues designed to
persuade consumers to fulfill their needs by buying specific products. cues Stimuli that direct
motivated behavior. Only cues that are consistent with consumer expectations can drive motivation.
, Thus, marketers must provide cues that match those expectations. For example, consumers expect
designer clothes to be expensive and to be sold in upscale retail stores. Thus, high-fashion
designers should sell their clothes only through exclusive stores and advertise only in upscale
fashion magazines. Each aspect of the marketing mix must reinforce the others if cues are to
become stimuli that guide consumer actions in the direction the marketer desires.
Responses
In the context of learning, response is an individual’s reaction to a drive or a cue. Learning can occur
even when responses are not overt. The automobile manufacturer that provides consistent cues to a
consumer may not always succeed in stimulating a purchase. However, if the manufacturer
succeeds in forming a favorable image of a particular automobile model in the consumer’s mind, it
is likely that the consumer will consider that make or model when he or she is ready to buy a car.
Response Reaction to a drive or cue. A response is not tied to a need in a one-to-one fashion. Indeed,
as noted in Chapter 3, a need or motive may evoke a whole variety of responses. For example, there
are many ways to respond to the need for physical exercise besides riding bicycles. Cues provide
some direction, but there are many cues competing for the consumer’s attention. Which response
the consumer makes depends heavily on previous learning; that, in turn, depends on how previous,
related responses have been reinforced.
Reinforcement
In learning, particularly in instrumental conditioning, it is a reward, in the form of pleasure,
enjoyment, and other benefits, for a desired behavior. In consumer behavior, it is the benefits,
enjoyment, and utilities that consumers receive from products purchased.
Reinforcement is the reward—the pleasure, enjoyment, and benefits—that the
consumer receives after buying and using a product or service. For the marketer, the
challenge is to continue to provide consumers with an ongoing positive product or
service, thus reinforcing future purchases. To illustrate, if a person visits a restaurant for
the first time, likes the food, service, and ambience, and also feels he or she received
value for the money paid, that customer was reinforced and is likely to dine at the
restaurant again. If that person becomes a regular customer, the restaurant’s owner
should further reinforce the customer’s continued patronage by, for example, giving the
customer a free drink and recognizing the person by name upon arrival. Of course, the
quality of the food and service must be maintained, as they are the key elements
reinforcing the customer’s continued visits. In contrast, if a patron leaves a restaurant
disappointed with the quality of the food or the service or feels “ripped off,”
reinforcement has not occurred. Because of the absence of reinforcement, it is unlikely
that the customer will visit the restaurant again.
Figure 5.2 applies the four elements of learning to Procter & Gamble’s introduction of
Febreze, a spray that eliminates bad smells. The figure illustrates the effects of
Febreze’s initial positioning, which did not follow the principles of learning; the product
did poorly. When the product was repositioned in a manner consistent with the
principles of learning, it sold much better. 1
FIGURE 5.2 Procter & Gamble’s Febreze
Source: Charles Duhigg, “How Companies Learn Your Secrets,” nytimes.com February 16, 2012.
Figure 5.2 Full Alternative Text
