L2+Perception

(SBAH Ch.2; PO Ch.5)
 * Lecture 2: Perception **

Perception is defined as the process of **attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information** (and therefore the environment) such as sights, sounds, smells. It is an internal process.

Furthermore, the perception process consists of different stimuli (sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures) which are perceived by sensory receptors (eyes, ears, skin, ...). After receiving, attention is paid to the stimuli and our brain interprets it - a meaning of the stimuli is created and we react with a certain response which leads to the perception.

About 50-70% of stimuli are perceived by our visual organ, our __eyes__ ( How people perceive and think. Note: semiotics gives you important notions on this field. Concepts as sign, signified or signifier and referent show us that the image is indeed one of the first relations to be made by humans). But also other senses are important, but mainly having an unconscious effect, like __sounds__, which are mainly perceived as background stimuli (sounds can also be perceived as foreground stimuli; Affects mood; is an important pillar for communication). The __smell__ is usually the first thing we are recognizing, even if we are doing that without realizing (it is primary, subconscious, emotional: the first and the fastest, smells activate memories). However, the way we smell something also influences the way, we see things. Senses for tastes are strongly bound to smell, whereas feeling __textures__ is bound strongly to what we see. This makes those two senses more personal and intimate (because they require presence) and - as said - they are strongly bound to other senses. The work of the sensory receptors is followed by some kind of attention, together being considered as sensation (culture-specific/context-dependent): There is holistic and synesthesic sensation.

Important for consumer behaviour is to realise that usually __consumers are not exposed to one specific, isolated sensory stimuli, because senses work in unison__. In connection with this fact, so called Synesthesia should be mentioned, which describes involuntary jumps into associated sensory or cognitive pathways. This means that one stimuli can trigger another one, concerning a different sensory receptor.

Furthermore perception is related to the context, for example there are differences between genders or between people with different ages.

Attention means the degree of focus on stimuli during exposure. It describes your selectivity. We can distinguish two levels of control concerning attention: The focal attention ( α -mode) with a high level of control means that we are able to decide what we perceive. The preconscious attention ( β -mode) with a low level of control means that most of the time our perception is unconscious and everything happens automatically. For sure the β -mode is more interesting to marketers for the simple reason that it offers more possibilities to influence the consumers.

What is changed/controlled by Marketing? – 4 P’s: Product, Promotion, Price, Placement affect our perception. Consumers attention is limited. In a world of a trillion different ever-changing-over-lapping things happening at the same time, people activate filters to what they pay attention to, they focus on what they believe they need at each moment. The ** consumers’ exposure to information ** may be intentional or accidental but is always selective: Marketers explore this by facilitating access to information, maximizing accidental exposure and monitoring its levels.
 * Sensation / Attention / Comprehension (/Response): ** select, organize and interpret stimuli (SBAH).

Impulse purchases represent 70% of those made in a supermarket.

Marketing Implication: strategies that take this into account: highly visual communication, attention to the background and “subconscious” attention.

Being dynamic, attention changes and flows but some patterns can be identified and these are carefully explored by Marketers. Determinant Factors to the Attention paid: • Affective States • Involvement and Product Knowledge • Environmental Prominence (new, usual, strong stimuli,…) Each of these factors is taken into account by marketing: ad and medium features, status of the brand, … Taking the brain as a holistic, self-organizing whole, people’s interpretation of external stimuli contribute to the creation or activation of ** Memory and Knowledge **. These actively affect one’s attitudes, intentions and decisions, in an eternal cycle that will change the way one interprets the following stimuli. Perception and Cognition co-exist and happen very close to each other.
 * - Interpretation ** (comprehension + integration)
 * How do we perceive? - gestalt psychology SBAH 50-52

The perception process consists on three stages: **selection, organization and interpretation**. __ Selection __ : It’s the first one, were we select stimuli we attend. __ Organization __ : It’s the second one. Were we arrange the stimuli (information) so we can understand or make sense out of stimuli. The third one is __interpretation__: It’s the stage were we attach meaning to the stimuli. Our interpretations are subjective and based on our values, needs beliefs, experiences, expectations, involvement, self-concept, and other personal factors.



Organization and Interpretation stimuli are not really two actions, t he sensory-motoric system and the cognitive system are not separate! We learn **how** to perceiv. We learn **by** perceiving.

- Creating a Store Environment: the Marketing play with senses and perception to enhance the shopping experience – the ultimate evidence that environment change the consumers’ behavior, enhancing satisfaction, placement and efficiency. - Retailteinment: a new way of selling How far can sellers go to sell their products? – “time itself is manipulated”, “disorientate the shoppers”, “create moments of happiness and delight”, seduction. Selective focus and attention, α and β modes, vista and eye level position – consumers are “blind to what they do not intend to see” – marketing implications. “Why do we say that retailing has to reinvent or go back to its theatrical/sensory beginnings?” Appeal to every sense; Stand out from a mass of undifferentiated products and sellers. From Mass Consumption to Personalized Consumption: a trend can be perceived today to move from a quest for sterile, equal, standardized products made for the masses to a demand for a more personalized shopping. E.g. Gourmet products, more expensive but richer and unique.
 * IN-CLASS DISCUSSION: Consumer Perception in Retail Settings **