Consumer Behavioral Learning Theories

There are various theories which are developed to explain the learning theories. The below are the major theories related to consumer behavior.

Behavioral Theories:  behavioral theory is based on observable behaviors (responses) that occur as the result of exposure to stimuli.

Cognitive Theories: Learning is based on mental information processing, it is also often in response to problem solving.

BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES:

Behavioral learning theories are sometimes referred to as stimulus-response theories because they are based on the premise that observable responses to specific external stimuli signal that learning has taken place.

1.    CLASSICAL CONDITIONING (Stimulus-Response):

Classical conditioning is the association of one event with another desired event resulting in a behaviour. The most well known experiments on classical conditioning were conducted by Ivan Pavlov, the Russian psychologist, who won the Nobel Prize for his experiments on this subject. Pavlov conducted an experiment on dogs and tried to establish a Stimulus-Response (S-R) connection. He tried to relate the dog’s salivation and the ringing of the bell. In his experiments, he put some meat in front of dogs.

The dogs responded to this stimulus by salivating. This response was instinctive or unconditioned. Pavlov next began to ring a bell at the same time as the meat was presented. Ringing the bell in itself, without the presentation of meat, was not connected to any responses. But by ringing the bell at the same time as presentation of meat, Pavlov established a relationship between the two stimuli-the bell and the meat- in the mind of the dogs. By continuing this process, the ringing of bell alone was sufficient stimulus to elicit a response of salivating, even when no meat was presented. Thus, the bell became a conditioned stimulus, resulting in conditioned or learned response.

•    Ivan Pavlov’s Dogs Experiment:

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) – Naturally capable of causing a response.

Conditioned stimulus (CS) – Does not initially cause a response

Conditioned response (CR) – Response generated by repeated paired exposures to UCS and CS.  Eventually, through learned association and repetition, the CS will cause the CR.

Examples: 

Pairing a likeable celebrity with a new product in advertising or associating a likeable song with a particular product. 

Pairing product purchase with the use of a credit card.

Researcher’s Argumentation:

Researchers have argued that the examples given are really nothing more than mood encoding, and that the positive affect tag is the effective mechanism.

2.    Cognitive Associative Learning (Memory/Trial-Error based) :

The pioneer of cognitive learning theory is Edward Tolman. He developed and tested this theory through controlled experiments. Using rats in his laboratory, he showed that they learnt to run through a complicated maze towards their goal of food. It was observed that rats developed expectations at every choice point in the maze. Thus, they learnt to expect that certain cognitive cues related to the choice point could ultimately lead to food. The learning took place when the relationship between the cues and expectancy was strengthened because the cues led to expected goals.

Cognitive learning is achieved by thinking about the perceived relationship between events and individual goals and expectations. Cognitive theory of learning assumes that the organism learns the meaning of various objects and events and learned responses depend upon the meaning assigned to stimuli.

HOW CONSUMER STORE, RETAIN, AND RETRIEVE INFORMATION:

Of central importance to the processing of information is the human memory. A basic research concern of most cognitive scientists is discovering how information gets stored in memory, how it is retained, and how it is retrieved.

Structure of Memory: Because information processing is kept temporarily before further processing: a sensory store, a short term store, and a long-term store.

3.     INSTRUMENTAL (OPERANT) CONDITIONING (Result/Reinforcement based):

 “A behavioural theory of learning based on a trial-and-error process, with habits forced as the result of positive experiences (reinforcement) resulting from certain responses or behaviours”.

Operant is defined as behaviour that produces effect. Operant conditioning is based on the work of B.F. Skinner who advocated that individuals emit responses that are rewarded and will not emit responses that are either not rewarded or are punished. Operant conditioning argues that behaviour is a function of its consequences. Behaviour is likely to be repeated if the consequences are favourable. Behaviour is not likely to be repeated if the consequences are unfavorable. Thus the relationship between behaviour and consequences is the essence of the operant conditioning.

It occurs as the individual learns to perform behaviours that produce positive outcomes and avoid behaviours that yield negative outcomes.

This learning process is most closely associated with psychologist B.F. Skinner, who demonstrated the effects of instrumental conditioning by training pigeons to dance and play Ping-Pong.  

Operant conditioning is the process in which the frequency of occurrence of behaviour is modified by the consequences of the behaviour.  That is, the consequences of a purchase will affect the probability of a re-purchase.  

Reinforcement of behaviour:

Positive Reinforcement:

“Positive outcomes, which strengthen the likelihood of a specific response”.

Negative Reinforcement:

“Unpleasant or negative outcomes that serve to encourage a specific behaviour”.

Skinner distinguished two types of reinforcement (or reward) that influence the likelihood that a response will be repeated. The first type, positive reinforcement, consists of events that strengthen the likelihood of a specific response. E.g., using a shampoo that leaves your hairs, feeling silky and clean is likely to result in a repeated purchase of the shampoo. Negative reinforcement is an unpleasant or negative outcome that also serves to encourage a specific behaviour. E.g. buying an antivirus software for your computer. Fear appeals in ad messages are examples of negative reinforcement such as life insurance commercials rely on negative reinforcement to encourage consumers to encourage the purchase.

Punishment:

   “Choose reinforcement rather than punishment”.

Forgetting and Extinction:

- Forgetting “Combat with repetition”.

- Extinction “Combat with consumer satisfaction”.

Factors Involving Forgetting:

Time:  Forgetting is rapid at first and then levels off

Interference: Old information in memory interferes with learning similar, new material. 

4.     Social Learning Theory

People learn through observing others’ behavior, attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors. “Most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action.” (Bandura). Social learning theory explains human behavior in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences.

 

NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR EFFECTIVE MODELING

Attention- various factors increase or decrease the amount of attention paid. It includes distinctiveness, affective valence, prevalence, complexity, functional value. One’s characteristics (e.g. sensory capacities, arousal level, and perceptual set, past reinforcement) affect attention.

Retention- remembering what you paid attention to. Includes symbolic coding, mental images, cognitive organization, symbolic rehearsal, motor rehearsal

Reproduction- reproducing the image. It is including physical capabilities, and self-observation of reproduction.

Motivation- having a good reason to imitate. Includes motives such as past (i.e. traditional behaviorism), promised (imagined incentives) and vicarious (seeing and recalling the reinforced model)