Consumer Behavior Test #2 (Ch. 7-10)

Attribute determinance

Attribute that is both salient and diagnostic

Salient attribute

Attribute that is “top of mind” or more important, prominent attribute

Confirmation bias

Tendency to recall information that reinforces or confirms our overall beliefs

rather than contradicting them, thereby making our judgment or decision more positive than it should be

Consideration (or evoked set)

The subset of top-of-mind brands evaluated when making a

choice.

Diagnostic information

That which helps us discriminate among objects.

Ideal State

the way we want things to be

Actual State

the way things actually are

Inhibition

The recall of one attribute inhibiting the recall of another

Internal search

The process of recalling stored information from memory.

Ongoing search

A search that occurs regularly, regardless of whether the consumer is making a

choice

Online processing

When a consumer is actively evaluating a brand as they view an ad for it.

Problem recognition

The perceived difference between an actual and an ideal state.

Affective decision-making model

The process by which consumers base their decision on

feelings and emotions.

Affective forecasting

A prediction of how you will feel in the future.

Alternative-based strategy

Making a noncomparable choice based on an overall evaluation.

Anchoring and adjustment process

Starting with an initial evaluation and adjusting it with

additional information.

Attraction effect:

When the addition of an inferior brand to a consideration set increases the

attractiveness of the dominant brand.

Attribute balancing

Picking a brand because it scores equally well on certain attributes rather

than faring unequally on these attributes.

Attribute processing

Comparing brands, one attribute at a time.

Attribute-based strategy

Making a noncomparable choice by making abstract representations of

comparable attributes.

Brand processing

Evaluating one brand at a time.

Cognitive decision-making model

The process by which consumers combine items of

information about attributes to reach a decision.

Compensatory mode

A mental cost-benefit analysis model in which negative features can be

compensated for by positive ones.

Compromise effect

When a brand gains share because it is an intermediate rather than an

extreme option.

Conjunctive model

A noncompensatory model that sets minimum cutoffs to reject “bad”

options.

Cutoff level

For each attribute, the point at which a brand is rejected with a noncompensatory

model.

Decision framing

The initial reference point or anchor in the decision process.

Disjunctive model

A noncompensatory model that sets acceptable cutoffs to find options that

are “good.”

Elimination-by-aspects model

Similar to the lexicographic model but adds the notion of

acceptable cutoffs.

Emotional accounting:

The intensity of positive or negative feelings associated with each mental

“account” for saving or spending.

Endowment effect:

When ownership increases the value of an item.

Extremeness aversion

Options that are extreme on some attributes are less attractive than those

with a moderate level of those attributes.

Imagery:

Multi-sensory mental representation (image) of a stimulus or an event.

Inept set

Options that are unacceptable when making a decision.

Inert set:

Options toward which consumers are indifferent.

Judgment of goodness/badness:

Evaluating the desirability of something.

Lexicographic model

A noncompensatory model that compares brands by attributes, one at a

time in order of importance.

Mental accounting:

Categorizing spending and saving decisions into “accounts” mentally

designated for specific consumption transactions, goals, or situations

Metacognitive experiences:

How the information is processed beyond the content of the

decision

Multiattribute expectancy-value model:

A type of brand-based compensatory model.

Noncomparable decision

The process of making a decision about products or services from

different categories

Noncompensatory model

A simple decision model in which negative information leads to

rejection of the option.

Affect

Low-level feelings.

Affect referral:

A simple type of affective tactic whereby we simply remember our feelings for the

product or service.

Availability heuristic:

Basing judgments on events that are easier to recall.

Base-rate information

How often an event really occurs on average.

Choice tactics

Simple rules of thumb used to make low-effort decisions.

Deal-prone consumer:

A consumer who is more likely to be influenced by price.

Habit:

A learned behavior that involves regular performance of the same act repeatedly over time.

Behaviors are often performed unconsciously and may be difficult to discontinue.

Law of small numbers:

The expectation that information obtained from a small number of people

represents the larger population.

Low-effort hierarchy of effects:

Sequence of thinking-behaving-feeling

Normative choice tactics:

Low-elaboration decision-making that is based on others’ opinions.

Operant conditioning

A process of learning drive by the use of rewards to reinforce desired

behavior and punishment to discourage objectionable behavior.

Performance-related tactics

Tactics based on benefits, features, or evaluations of the brand

Price-related tactics:

Simplifying decision heuristics that are based on price.

Representativeness heuristic:

Making a judgment by simply comparing a stimulus with the

category prototype or exemplar.

Satisfice:

Finding a brand that satisfies a need even though the brand may not be the best brand.

Sensation seeker:

A consumer who actively looks for variety.

Shaping:

Leading consumers through a series of steps to create a desired response.

Traditional hierarchy of effects:

Sequential steps used in decision-making involving thinking, then

feeling, then behavior.

Unity:

When all the visual parts of a design fit together.

Vicarious exploration:

Seeking information simply for stimulation.

Zone of acceptance:

The acceptable range of prices for any purchase decision.

Ambiguity of information:

When information from consumption experiences is insufficiently clear

or precise to evaluate brand, product, or service performance.

Attribution theory

A theory of how individuals find explanations for events.

Behavioral costs:

The money, time, effort, and emotional discomfort needed to implement one’s

intentions or urges to act.

Customer retention:

The practice of retaining customers by building long-term relationships with

them.

Delight:

Intense positive emotion, beyond satisfaction, that consumers experience when the

superior performance of a company, brand, products, or service confirms or exceeds their expectations.

Disconfirmation:

When expectations do not match the actual brand, product, or service

performance because performance is either better or worse than expected

Emotional detachment:

Emotionally disposing of a possession.

Disloyalty:

Reduced or discontinued patronage of a company, brand, product, or service based on negative attitudes from earlier consumption experiences.

Dissatisfaction:

The feeling that a purchase decision, consumption experience, or disposition

decision falls short of one’s expectations.

Encoding of evidence:

Processing information from consumption experiences.

Equity theory:

The extent to which the balance of exchanges between consumers and companies

and among consumers is perceived to be fair.

Expectation

A prediction (hypothesis) about the performance of a brand, product, or service and

about the outcomes of acquiring, consuming, or disposing of it.

Exposure to evidence:

Actually, experiencing the brand, product, or service while consuming it.

Hypothesis generation

Forming expectations about a brand, product, or service and its

consumption.

Hypothesis testing:

Comparing prior expectations or predictions with new information, such as

evidence from experience.

Integration of evidence

Combining new information from the consumption experience with

stored knowledge.

Opportunity costs:

The value to the consumer of the best alternative not chosen. The opportunity

costs of choosing an option are low when there are few good alternatives and none are better than

the chosen option.

Pride:

The positive emotion that consumers experience upon perceiving that they themselves rather than others or luck are responsible for obtaining positive, hard to get outcomes.

Satisfaction:

The feeling that a purchase decision, consumption experience, or disposition

decision meets or exceeds one’s expectations.

Regret:

The negative emotion that consumers experience upon perceiving that they could have made a better decision than they did.

Top dog:

A market leader or brand with a large or the largest market share.

Underdog:

A lower-share brand that is perceived to be doing well despite the odds against it.