Motivation

Motivation

To study motivation, we must understand why consumers do

what they do

Motivation occurs when a need is aroused that must be satisfied

Leads to tension until our needs are met

Goal: our desired end state

How do we reduce tension?

Drive Theory: biological needs produce unpleasant states of arousal > motivates us to reduce and return to homeostasis

• If a behavior reduces a drive, we tend to repeat the behavior

• How do we explain delayed gratification?

Expectancy Theory: expectations of achieving desirable outcomes

• i.e., positive incentives—motivate our behavior (rather than being pushed from within)

• We’ll choose one product over another if we think it will have better outcomes

We use drive to refer to both physical and cognitive processes

Needs vs. Wants

Need: basic goal that is necessary for existence (e.g., feeding yourself)

Want: specific pathway used to reaching a desired goal; based largely on our personalities, cultural upbringing, etc.

Needs can be utilitarian (objective, tangible attributes) or hedonic (subjective, experiential attributes)

Whether a consumer's need is utilitarian or hedonic, the magnitude of the tension it creates determines the urgency the consumer feels to reduce it.

Motivational Conflicts

A goal has valence

We approach positive goals and avoid negative outcomes

Approach-Approach Conflict

Occurs when you must choose between two desirable outcomes

E.g., Burger vs. Taco

Cognitive Dissonance: tension that occurs when beliefs or behaviors conflict with each other

• Approach-approach conflicts result when both alternatives are positive. The selection of one requires the rejection of another, which creates a need for a cognitive explanation of why one positive choice was not selected.

Postdecision Dissonance: occurs when consumers choose between two products which both have good and bad qualities

How can we convince ourselves that we made the right decision?

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

Occurs when we desire a goal but wish to avoid it at the same time

E.g., Wanting to eat ice cream but not wanting to gain weight

How can marketers help consumers?

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Occurs when we must choose between two undesirable options

E.g., Eating brussels sprouts or ending up with health problems

Marketers will highlight the unforeseen benefits of choosing the option they promote

Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation

Motivation can come from internal or external triggers

DECIDUOUS TREES II - extrinsic (behaving to reach an external goal or avoid punishment) vs intrinsic (behaving in a way because it’s internally rewarding)

The power of grit

• Dr. Angela Duckworth – who is successful and why?

• IQ is not a predictor of success

• Grit = passion and perseverance, stamina for very long-term goals

It’s a marathon not a sprint

How to build grit?

• Dr. Carol Dweck – The power of the “growth mindset”

• The ability to learn is not fixed, it can change with your effort

• Individuals are more likely to persevere when they fail because they don’t believe failure is permanent

Classifying Consumer Needs

Murray’s Psychogenic Needs (1938): a set of 20 psychogenic needs – including dimensions for autonomy, defendance, and play – that results in specific behaviors

Needs in Consumption

• Need for affiliation

• Need for power

• Need for uniqueness

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

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Consumers have different need priorities in different consumption situations and at different times in their lives

Physiological: I like to work in the soil

Safety: I feel safe in the garden

Social: I can share my produce with others

Esteem: I can create something beautiful

Self-Actualization: My garden gives me a sense of peace

Involvement

The more motivated we are to achieve a goal, the more involved we are with the process; passion about the topic/product is key

We spend more time and high levels of involvement in product categories

• That demand large investments

• That involve self-esteem

• and less involvement for mundane categories

Types of Involvement

Product Involvement

Message Involvement

Situational Involvement

Product Involvement and Perceived Risk

Refers to a consumer’s level of interest in a particular product

The higher the bond between a consumer and a brand, the higher the involvement

Perceived risk in making the wrong choice increases high involvement in purchase decisions

Types of Perceived Risk

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Brand Loyalty

Brand Loyalty: repeat purchasing behavior reflecting a conscious decision to continue buying from the same brand

• Occurs when involvement in high with a specific product

Consumers have strong positive attitudes towards buying

Sometimes we may engage in brand switching to seek variety

• Happens when we become satiated with our favorite

Message Involvement

Refers to our motivation to pay attention to messages

Print is a high-involvement medium

TV is a low-involvement medium

Better engagement when paired with TV shows of high involvement

Messages that are very involving trigger a state of narrative transportation

Message Involvement

You can boost involvement by:

• Novel stimuli (sudden silences, unusual cinematography)

• Prominent stimuli (loud music, fast action)

• Celebrity endorsers

• Providing value to consumers

• New media platforms

• Encourage viewers to think about using the product

• Make the message a form of entertainment

Situational Involvement

Refers to engagement with a store, website, or consumption location

You can increase engagement by personalizing messages shoppers receive at the time of purchase