INFORMATION PROCESSING:Learning & Memory

LearningLearning is any change in the content or organization of long-term memory or behavior caused by experience

Consumer behaviorConsumer behavior is largely learned behavior.

Cognitive vs. Behavioral Learning

Behavioral Learning: things in the environment influence learning2 approaches:- Classical conditioning

- Pavlov- passive, reaction focused (if this stimulus, then this cognition & response)

- Operant conditioning- Skinner- Active (if this behavior, then this cognition & response)

Cognitive Learning:- involves processing information- purposeful learning or learning through experience- e.g., iconic, reasoning, vicarious

Behavioral Learning: Classical Conditioning

• association of stimuli whereby “natural” responses of one stimulus are transferred to a “neutral” stimulus

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) (meat, popular music)

Conditioned Stimulus (CS) (bell, pen)

Unconditioned Response (UCR) (saliva, positive emotion)

Conditioned Response (CR) (saliva, positive emotion)

Requirements for CC:1. CS must precede UCS: show product prior to UCS2. Product must be paired consistently with UCS (repetition)3. CS and UCS must be relevant to the consumer

Occurs based on the learning of the association between the bell and the meat

Olympics(unconditionedstimulus)

Positive Affect(unconditionedresponse)

Brand that is pairedwith the Olympics(conditionedstimulus)

Positive Affect(conditionedresponse)

The Classical Conditioning Framework

Paired via Advertising

Elicits

Elicits

Food Conditioning• Preschool children

• Specific location with rotating light and song for snack time

• Eventually associated the light and song with snack time and eating

• After lunch one day, turned the light on and played the song

• Children started eating again

How does this relate to healthy eating behavior?

Food conditioning issues?

reward, guilt, punishment, comfort

Operant/Instrumental Conditioning

Concerned w/changing the frequency of a behavior by changing the consequences associated with the behavior

Positive Reinforcement – reward strengthens responseNegative Reinforcement – removal of negative event avoids negative outcomeExtinction – positive event removed and weakens responsePunishment – negative events follow a response

Behavioral Learning: Operant Conditioning

Cognitive Learning

Iconic Rote Learning: : Learning a concept or the association between two or more concepts in the absence of conditioning. Repetition is critical to “getting” the link.

Observational/Vicarious Learning/Modeling: Involves observing the outcomes of others’ behaviors and adjusting behavior accordingly. Consumers can also use imagery to anticipate the outcome of various courses of action “Imagine yourself on the beach of this secluded island …”). Fear Appeals: “This could happen to you …”

Analytical Reasoning: The most complex form of cognitive learning. Individuals engage in creative thinking to restructure and recombine existing information as well as new information to form new associations and concepts. Information from a credible source that contradicts or challenges one’s existing beliefs often triggers reasoning If you let me play …If you let me play …

Role of Memory in Learning

Memory – process of acquiring information and storing it over time so that it will be available when we need it

Role of Memory in Learning

STM: Miller’s Law: 7+/- 2 chunks

• What’s a “chunk” of information?– It is possible to retain more information in short-term memory if it can be

categorized in a meaningful way.

• For example, try to remember the following letters:

F C L J F R K J A I B B I D F

Now, let’s rearrange those letters into more meaningful “chunks”:

FBI CIA LBJ JFK FDR

How easy it to remember this information now?

return

Schematic (semantic or associative) Memory Networks

Building links in the consumer’s memory

What are the first three things that come to mind when you see this logo? - For each of these things, name three things that come to mind.

What comes to mind now?

What are the first three things that come to mind when you see this logo? - For each of these things, name three things that come to mind.

How do you minimize forgetting?

How many ads do you remember seeing in the last week?

Von Restorff Effect:A unique item in a homogenous array is more easily remembered

Zeigarnik Effect:Occurs when somebody involved in a task is interrupted

Response Environment:Memory is enhanced when recall conditions match learning conditions

Affect:People recall more information when in a good mood

Nostalgia• Marketers often evoke memories of the “good ol’

days” by marketing products with nostalgic images. Though it seems this strategy targets only middle-aged or older consumers, it can be used toward college students.

• What “retro brands” are targeted to you? Were these brands that were once used by your parents?

• What newer brands focus on nostalgia, even though they never existed before?