Consumer Behavior,

Eighth Edition
SCHIFFMAN & KANUK

Chapter 7
Consumer Learning

7-1

The Importance of Consumer

Learning to New Product Success
Why did these products fail?

Listerine Toothpaste
Ben-Gay Aspirin
Oreo Little Fudgies
Why did PocketPaks succeed?

7-2

Importance of Learning
Marketers must teach consumers:

7-3

where to buy
how to use
how to maintain
how to dispose of products

Learning Theories
Behavioral Theories:
Theories based on the
premise that learning
takes place as the
result of observable
responses to external
stimuli. Also known
as stimulus response
theory.
7-4

Cognitive Theories:
A theory of learning
based on mental
information
processing, often in
response to problem
solving.

Consumer
Learning

7-5

A process by which
individuals acquire the
purchase and
consumption
knowledge
and experience
that they apply to
future related behavior.

Learning Processes
Intentional:
Incidental:
learning acquired as
learning acquired
a result of a careful
by accident or
search for
without much effort
information

7-6

Elements of Learning Theories

Motivation
Cues
Response
Reinforcement

7-7

Reinforcement

7-8

A positive or
negative outcome
that influences the
likelihood that a
specific behavior
will be repeated in
the future in
response to a
particular cue or
stimulus.

Figure 7.1 Product Usage Leads to

Reinforcement

7-9

Behavioral Learning Theories

Classical Conditioning
Instrumental Conditioning
Modeling or Observational Learning

7-10

Classical
Conditioning

7-11

A behavioral learning
theory according to
which a stimulus is
paired with another
stimulus that elicits a
known response that
serves to produce the
same response when
used alone.

Instrumental
(Operant)
Conditioning

7-12

A behavioral theory of
learning based on a
trial-and-error process,
with habits forced as
the result of positive
experiences
(reinforcement)
resulting from certain
responses or
behaviors.

Figure 7.2A Pavlovian Model of

Classical Conditioning
Unconditioned Stimulus
Meat paste
Unconditioned Response
Salivation
Conditioned Stimulus
Bell
AFTER REPEATED PAIRINGS

Conditioned Stimulus
Bell

7-13

Conditioned Response
Salivation

Figure 7.2B Analogous Model of

Classical Conditioning
Unconditioned Stimulus
Dinner aroma
Unconditioned Response
Salivation
Conditioned Stimulus
6 oclock news
AFTER REPEATED PAIRINGS

Conditioned Stimulus
6 oclock news

7-14

Conditioned Response
Salivation

Cognitive Associative Learning

Classical conditioning is viewed as the
learning of associations among events that
allows the organism to anticipate and
represent its environment.
From this viewpoint, classical conditioning
is not reflexive action, but rather the
acquisition of new knowledge
7-15

Neo-Pavlovian Conditioning
Forward Conditioning (CS Precedes US)
Repeated Pairings of CS and US
A CS and US that Logically Belong to Each
Other
A CS that is Novel and Unfamiliar
A US that is Biologically or Symbolically
Salient
7-16

Strategic Applications of Classical

Conditioning
Repetition
Stimulus Generalization
Stimulus Discrimination

7-17

Repetition
Repetition increases
strength of
associations and slows
forgetting but over
time may result in
advertising wearout.
Cosmetic variations
reduce satiation.

7-18

Figure 7.3 Cosmetic

Variations in Ads

Figure 7.4
Substantive
Variations

7-19

Three-Hit Theory
Repetition is the basis for the idea that three
exposures to an ad are necessary for the ad
to be effective
The number of actual repetitions to equal
three exposures is in question.

7-20

Stimulus
Generalization

7-21

The inability to
perceive differences
between slightly
dissimilar stimuli.

Stimulus Generalization and

Marketing
Product Line, Form and Category
Extensions
Family Branding
Licensing
Generalizing Usage Situations

7-22

Figure 7.5
Product Line
Extension

7-23

Figure 7.6 Product Form

Extensions

7-24

Figure 7.7
Product
Category
Extensions

7-25

Figure 7-8
Shoe
Manufacturer
Licenses
Its Name

7-26

Stimulus
Discrimination

The ability to select

a specific stimulus
from among similar
stimuli because of
perceived
differences.
Positioning

Differentiation
7-27

Figure 7.9
Stimulus
Discrimination

7-28

Figure 7.10 A Model of Instrumental

Conditioning

Stimulus
Situation
(Need goodlooking jeans)

Try
Brand A

Unrewarded
Legs too tight

Try
Brand B

Unrewarded
Tight in seat

Try
Brand C

Unrewarded
Baggy in seat

Try
Brand D

Reward
Perfect fit
Repeat Behavior

7-29

Instrumental Conditioning
Consumers learn by means of trial and error
process in which some purchase behaviors
result in more favorable outcomes (rewards)
than other purchase behaviors.
A favorable experience is instrumental in
teaching the individual to repeat a specific
behavior.
7-30

Instrumental Conditioning and

Marketing
Customer Satisfaction (Reinforcement)
Reinforcement Schedules
Shaping

Massed versus Distributed Learning

7-31

Reinforcement
Negative
Positive
Reinforcement:
Reinforcement:
Unpleasant or negative
Positive outcomes that
outcomes that serve to
strengthen the
encourage a specific
likelihood of a specific
behavior
response
Example: Ad showing Example: Ad showing
wrinkled skin as
beautiful hair as a
reinforcement to buy
reinforcement to buy
shampoo
skin cream
7-32

Other Concepts in Reinforcement

Punishment
Choose reinforcement rather than punishment

Extinction
Combat with consumer satisfaction

Forgetting
Combat with repetition

7-33

Observational
Learning

7-34

A process by which
individuals observe
the behavior of
others, and
consequences of
such behavior. Also
known as modeling
or vicarious
learning.

Figure 7.11
Consumers
Learn by
Modeling

7-35

Cognitive
Learning
Theory

7-36

Holds that the kind

of learning most
characteristic of
human beings is
problem solving,
which enables
individuals to gain
some control over
their environment.

Figure 7.12
Appeal to
Cognitive
Processing

7-37

Information
Processing

7-38

A cognitive theory of
human learning
patterned after
computer information
processing that
focuses on how
information is stored
in human memory
and how it is
retrieved.

Figure 7.13 Information Processing and

Memory Stores

Sensory
Input

Sensory
Sensory
Store
Store Rehearsal

Forgotten;
lost

7-39

Working
Working
Memory
Memory
(Short(ShortEncoding
term
term
Store)
Store)

Forgotten;
lost

LongLongterm
term
Retrieval
Store
Store

Forgotten;
unavailable

Retention
Information is stored in
long-term memory
Episodically: by the order
in which it is acquired
Semantically: according
to significant concepts

7-40

Table 7.1 Models of Cognitive Learning

Promotional Tricompetent
Model
Model
Sequential
Stages
of
Processing

7-41

Attention
Interest
Desire
Action

Cognitive
Affective
Conative

DecisionMaking
Model

Innovation
Adoption
Model

Awareness
Knowledge

Awareness

Innovation
Decision
Process

Knowledge

Interest
Evaluation Evaluation Persuasion
Purchase
Trial
Decision
Postpurchase Adoption Confirmation
Evaluation

Involvement
Theory

7-42

A theory of consumer
learning which
postulates that
consumers engage in a
range of information
processing activity
from extensive to
limited problem
solving, depending on
the relevance of the
purchase.

Figure 7.14

Figure 7.14
Split Brain
Theory
Right/ Left Brain
Hemispheres
specialize in certain
functions

7-43

Figure 7.15
Encouraging
Right and
Left Brain
Processing

7-44

Issues in Involvement Theory

Involvement Theory and Media Strategy
Involvement Theory and Consumer
Relevance
Central and Peripheral Routes to Persuasion
Measures of Involvement

7-45

Central and
Peripheral
Routes to
Persuasion

7-46

A theory that proposes that

highly involved consumers
are best reached through ads
that focus on the specific
attributes of the product (the
central route) while
uninvolved consumers can
be attracted through
peripheral advertising cues
such as the model or the
setting (the peripheral route).

Elaboration
Likelihood
Model
(ELM)

7-47

A theory that suggests

that a persons level of
involvement during
message processing is
a critical factor in
determining which
route to persuasion is
likely to be effective.

Figure 7.16
Peripheral
Route to
Persuasion

7-48

Figure 7.17 Unexpected Headline

Metaphor Increases Impact

7-49

The Elaboration Likelihood Model

Involvement
HIGH

7-50

LOW

Central
Route

Peripheral
Route

Message
Arguments
Influence
Attitudes

Peripheral
Cues
Influence
Attitudes

Measures of Consumer Learning

Recognition and Recall Measures
Aided and Unaided Recall

Cognitive Responses to Advertising

Copytesting Measures
Attitudinal and Behavioral Measures of
Brand Loyalty

7-51

Figure 7.18
Starch
Readership
Scores Measure
Learning

7-52

Phases of Brand Loyalty

7-53

Cognitive
Affective
Conative
Action

Figure 7.19
Brand Loyalty As A Function of
Relative Attitude and Patronage
Behavior
Repeat Patronage

Relative
Attitude

7-54

High

Low

High

Loyalty

Latent
Loyalty

Low

Spurious
Loyalty

No
Loyalty