CB6-the lowest level at which a person can experience a sensation is called absolute threshold.

A persons absolute threshold is that point when he can detect the diff between something &nothing. Senses tend to become increasingly dulled under constant stimulation(driving thru hoardings on NH-6, abs threshold rises). Adaptation refers to getting used to certain level of stimulation. Marketers try to cut thru daily clutter by increasing sensory input. Some increase &others reduce(use silence) to generate attention. Use of unusual media/use of unique smell to gain attention. JND-The minimal difference that can be perceived between two stimuli is differential threshold or JND(reduction in size/quality).
Webers law states ,stronger the initial stimulus the greater the additional intensity needed for second stimulus to be perceived as diff. .(IBM- LEXMARK.laser printer, IBM erased totally)

CB6-Consumers try to preserve/enhance their self image by buying products they believe will match with their self image and vice versa. This is consumer imagery. Positioning conveys a concept or clear meaning of the product in terms of how it fulfills a consumer needs.

How a product is positioned in the mind of the consumer is more important for the products success, than its actual characteristics. A positive brand image will raise consumers interest in future brand promotions. Halo effect-consumers often evaluate entire product line on the basis of one product. CB6-people see what they expect to see and depend on familiarity& previous experience. Stimuli that conflict sharply with expectations often receive more attention.

Blatant sexuality in ad if irrelevant , will defeat mktg objective, audience remember sexual aspect of the ad,but not the product/brand.

People tend to perceive things they need or want, stronger the need, greater the chance to ignore unrelated stimuli in environment.

Selective exposure-consumers actively seek out messages, which they find pleasant or with which they are sympathetic.

Heightened awareness is given to stimuli that meet their need/ interest.

Consumer buying decision, 5 roles-initiator /influencer /decider/buyer/user. Complex &exp buys need more buyer deliberation& more participants. Degree of buyer involvement 4 types.
Complex buying behavior-product expensive, bought infrequently, risky &self expressive( 3steps-develops belief, dev attitude &thoughtful choice). Strategy-assist buyer learns product attributes& their importance. Differentiate brand features, use print media, motivate salesman & raise buyer awareness to influence brand choice.

Dissonance reducing buyer behavior-highly involved but sees little difference in brands. If consumer finds diff he will go for higher P. if little diff then may buy on P or convenience. Dissonance from disturbing features or favorable things from competing brands. Strategy-to confirm belief& evaluation that makes him comfortable C.B-Consumer decision making is influenced not only by family, friends, ads and role models but also by mood, situation &emotion Three stages-input stage, output stage& process stage. Input stage focuses on product need and depends on cos mktg effort (product, price, promotion, availability) &external social influence(family, friends, neighbors, class, culture, membership). Process stage focuses on psychological factors of consumer (perception, motivation, learning, attitude, personality)& experienced gained by alternative evaluation. Output stage focuses on purchase behavior (trial or repeat purchase)&post purchase evaluation The Differential Threshold The minimal difference that can be detected between two stimuli is the differential threshold or just noticeable difference. Webers law- the stronger the initial stimulus, the greater the additional intensity needed for the second stimulus to be perceived as different. Marketing Applicationsreductions/increases in product size, or reduced qualityare not readily discernible to the public. Product improvements are readily discernible to the consumer. Marketers meet or exceed consumers differential threshold so that they readily perceive the improvements.

Subliminal Perception People are also stimulated below their level of conscious awareness they can perceive stimuli without being consciously aware of it. Stimuli below the limen of conscious awareness, too weak or brief to be consciously seen or heard, may be strong enough to be perceived by one or more receptor cells. In late 1950s messages persuading people to buy goods without their being aware of it. The effectiveness was tested in theatre by flashing the words eat popcorn and drink coke on the screen, so quickly that the audience was not aware of it. In a six-week test, popcorn sales increased 58 percent and coke sales 18 percent. There is no evidence that subliminal stimulation can influence consumption motives or actions. Individuals see what they want to see (e.g., what they are motivated to see) and what they expect to see. Human beings are constantly bombarded with stimuli every minute. Three aspects to perceptionselection, organization, and interpretation of stimuli. Individuals are very selective as to which stimuli they recognize. They interpret such stimuli (i.e., they give meaning to them) subjectively in accordance with their needs, expectations, and experiences. Perceptual Selection Consumers subconsciously exercise selectivity, depends on two major factors. Consumers previous experience as it affects their expectations. Their motives at the time (their needs, desires, interests, and so on). Nature of the Stimulus- Marketing stimulus contains an enormous number of variables.

Examples -Nature of product name, advertisements.

& attributes, package design, brand

Advertisers use extreme attention-getting devices to get maximum contrast and penetrate the consumers perceptual screen. Advertisers use color contrasts, size, etc., to create stopping power and gain attention. Sometimes advertisers capitalize on the lack of contrast. Motives People tend to perceive things they need or want. The stronger the need, the greater the tendency to ignore unrelated stimuli.. Markers recognize the efficiency of targeting their products to the perceived needs of consumers. Selective Perception Selective exposureconsumers actively seek out messages they find pleasant or with which they are sympathetic. Consumers actively avoid painful or threatening messages. Selective attentionconsumers have a heightened awareness of the stimuli that meet their needs or interests. Consumers have a lower awareness of stimuli irrelevant to their needs. Perceptual defensethreatening or otherwise damaging stimuli are less likely to be perceived than are neutral stimuli. Individuals unconsciously may distort information that is not consistent with their needs, values, and beliefs. Perceptual blockingconsumers screen out enormous amounts of advertising by simply tuning out. Perceptual Organization People tend to organize stimuli into groups and perceive them as unified wholes. 1. Gestalt psychology (means pattern or configuration) Three of the most basic principles of perceptual organization are figure and ground, grouping, and closure.
2.

Figure and Ground Stimuli that contrast with their environment are more likely to be noticed. There is contrast between a figure and the ground. Figure is usually perceived clearly. The ground is usually perceived as indefinite, hazy, and continuous. The figure is more clearly perceived because it appears to be dominant the ground appears to be subordinate and less important. Advertisers have to plan their advertisements carefully to make sure that the stimulus they want noted is seen as figure and not as ground. At times they confuse the consumer because there is no clear indication of which is figure and which ground is. Grouping Individuals tend to group stimuli in chunks rather than as discrete bits of information. Grouping can be used advantageously by marketers to imply certain desired meanings in connection with their products. Closure Individuals have a need for closure. As a result, people organize a perception so they see a complete picture. If the pattern of stimuli to which they are exposed is incomplete, they tend to perceive it as completethey fill in the missing pieces. The very act of completion serves to involve the consumer more deeply in the message. Perceptual Interpretation The interpretation of stimuli is uniquely individual because it is based on what individuals expect to see in light of their previous experience. Stimuli are often highly ambiguous.

When stimuli are highly ambiguous, individuals usually interpret them in a way that they serve to fulfill personal needs, wishes, and interests. How close a persons interpretations are to reality depends on the clarity of the stimulus, the past experiences of the perceiver, and his motives and interests at the time of perception. Perceptual Distortion Consumers are subject to number of influences that distort their perceptions. Physical Appearances-Attractive models have a more positive influence on consumer attitudes than do average-looking models. First Impressionsthese tend to be lasting but formed while the perceiver does not know which stimuli are relevant, important, or predictive. Jumping to Conclusionsmany people tend to jump to conclusions before examining all the relevant evidence (by hearing the beginning of an ad). Halo Effectwhen evaluation of a single object/person on a multitude of dimensions is based on the evaluation of just one or few dimensions. Consumers often evaluate entire product line on the basis of the one product. Licensing also is based on the halo effectassociating products with a well-known celebrity or designer name. CONSUMER IMAGERY Consumers try to preserve/enhance their self-images by buying products they believe agree with that self-image and avoid products that do not. Consumers try to shop in stores that have images that agree with their own self-images.