MARK2051 Lecture Notes - Spreading Activation, Interference Theory, Reinforcement
Lecture 6: Preference Formation (Learning & Memory)
Preference Formation
Lecture 5 argued that preferences are constructed via information search and evaluation.
However, some preferences are not constructed due to:
• Preference construction is costly in terms of information search and processing effort
• Some basic preferences are hard-wired (e.g. pleasure over pain)
• Stable preferences fix the stimulus-response relation and remove the intervening
information processing phase
High familiarity: Familiarity effect causes stable preferences to be formed when there is high
familiarity
• Reduces influence of contingent valuation variables
• Reduces amount of search
• Reduces evaluation
A goal in marketing is to instil strong and stable preferences of YOUR brand products and
services in consumers.
Change in familiarity:
• Results from repeated exposure and interaction with product attributes (outcomes and
feedback effect shape preferences)
• Leads to a relatively permanent change in behaviour
• This process is called preference formation
Learning
Learning: process by which consumers get from a low to high state of familiarity with product
attributes
• Relatively permanent change in behaviour or behavioural potential that occurs as a
result of practice or experience
o Relatively permanent: not behavioural changes from fatigue or motivational
changes
o From experience: not anything which results from maturation
o Behavioural potential: some conditions may prevent behaviour but not learning
• Learning is inferred from behaviour but is not behaviour itself (Tolman & Honzik) →
even though it may be irrelevant at the moment, you are still learning, Thus, when it
does become relevant, you already know it.
• Behaviourist school of thought (learns to)
• Cognitivist school of thought (learns that)
Association
Association: the relation of stimuli whether in the environment or in the consumer’s mind (based
on the temporal and spatial co-occurrence of stimuli). Forms the basis of learning:
• Classical conditioning
• Operant conditioning
• Concept learning
• Rote learning
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning involves learning of stimulus-reinforcement dependencies. Classical
conditioning can be used to assist in preference formation. E.g. when Allblacks (US) is
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