Pt2 Perception

• Niosi, 2021: 'Perception is the process of selecting, organising, and interpreting information'
• Kenyon and Sen, 2014: 'Perceptions function as filters, keeping consumers from being overwhelmed by the stimuli around them'
• Factors on which Perception is dependent

  • The nature of the physical stimulus
  • Its environment
  • The person perceiving the stimulus
• We organise stimuli ourselves
• Perceptual selectivity


  The process by which individuals select objects in the environment for attention
• Perceptual selectivity


  • Consumers focus on one or a few stimuli
• Selective Perception refers to the process by which individuals select objects in the environment for attention
• Selective Perception can be done consciously and unconsciously
• Perceptual Vigilance is unconsciously filtering out unwanted stimuli
• Perceptual Defence is consciously filtering out unwanted stimuli
• Selective Exposure is selecting information we see or hear
• Adaptation is the degree to which consumers continue to notice a stimulus over time
• Factors leading to adaptation include intensity, duration, discrimination, exposure, relevance
• Attention is the degree to which consumers focus on stimuli within their range of exposure
• Selective attention is influenced by response salience, which is a tendency to focus on objects that relate to our immediate needs or wants
• Consumers tend to only pay attention to information that they perceive to meet their needs or interests
• Only some of the stimuli will be noted by sensory receptors
• No attention will be given to stimuli that could be filtered out
• Only some of the stimuli will be given attention after processing the meaning
• Smell


  • McCain potato billboard
• McCain potato billboard

  If you press the button, there's a potato smell. The potato is also warm to touch. People will be hungry
• Dumb ways to die

  Catchy music and lyrics, cute animation showing ways of dying, overall very funny. Can be used for metro to raise awareness or for insurance
• All these ads or marketing seem like a type of disruption
• Perceptual process and schemas


  Perceptions are dependent on schemas from which our assumptions stem. Schemas are organised collections of beliefs and feelings. We group objects we see as having similar characteristics, and the schema to which an object is assigned is crucial to how we choose to evaluate this object later
• Weber’s Law states that the stronger the initial stimulus, the greater the additional intensity needed for a second stimulus to be perceived as different
• To catch attention, a stronger second stimulus is needed to notice the difference
• Just noticeable difference (JND) is the smallest additional level of stimulation that must be added for the majority of people to perceive a difference. It is important in marketing for changes and rebranding
• Uses of JND in marketing

  • Increases in product price or decreases in product size not readily discernible, product improvements noticeable without excess extravagance, identifying when to inform consumers
• Grocery shrink Bay


  • Consumers pay the same for a smaller amount, e.g., Cadbury reducing from 250g to 200g
• Stimulus Organisation


  Stimuli are not perceived in isolation. They are perceived and organised with their environment. Principles of stimulus generalisation based on Gestalt psychology, e.g., figure and ground, proximity, similarity, continuity, closure, smallness. Gestalt: "the whole is more than the sum of its parts"
• Principles of stimulus generalisation based on Gestalt psychology

  1. Figure and ground

  2. Proximity

  3. Similarity

  4. Continuity

  5. Closure

  6. Smallness
• Gestalt: '"the whole is more than the sum of its parts."'
• Figure and Ground


  We need to separate a dominant shape (a figure with a definite contour from what our current concerns relegate to background) when confronted by a visual image
• Proximity


  Features that are close together are associated
• Similarity


  Features which look similar are associated
• Continuity

  Contours based on smooth continuity are preferred to abrupt changes in direction
• Closure


  Interpretations which produce ‘closed’ rather than ’open’ figures are favoured
• Smallness


  Smaller areas tend to be seen as figures against a larger background
• Perceived Risk is dependent upon the interpretation of the product information provided
• Two key factors affecting perceived risk

  • Amount of uncertainty present
  • Extent of consequences of purchase