Amity Business School

LEARNING
MAMTA MOHAN
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Consumer learning

•A process by which individuals acquire the purchase and

consumption knowledge and experience that they apply to
future related behavior.

Marketers must teach consumers:

where to buy
how to use
how to maintain
how to dispose of products
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Elements of Learning
Theories
• Motivation
• Cues
• Response
• Reinforcement
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Learning Theories
- -Behavioral Theories: based on the premise that learning
takes place as the result of observable responses to external
stimuli. Also known as stimulus response theory.

• Classical Conditioning
• Instrumental Conditioning
• Modeling or Observational Learning

- Cognitive Theory: of learning based on mental information

processing, often in response to problem solving.
 Classical Conditioning
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According to which a stimulus is paired with

another stimulus ( pavlovian Exp’t)

-unconditional stimulus (UCS: meat) -towards

which customer already has a pre existing
response,so the response to which does not
have to be conditioned.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS:bell ringing)-stimulus

to which Customer either does not have a
response or a preexisting response needs
modification, so a new response needs to be
conditioned.
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Classical Conditioning

• Classical conditioning process in which a preson learns

an associationb/w 2 stimuli due to their constant
appearance as a pair.due to this continous pairing C’r
tend to attribute to the previously unknown stimuli
( pdt/ service) whatever they feel about the paired
stimulus.

• Is not reflexive action, but rather the acquisition of

new knowledge

Works in Advertising.
• E.g identical slides of 2 similar pens paired with diff
music.
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Strategic Applications of
Classical Conditioning

• Repetition
• Stimulus Generalization
• Stimulus Discrimination
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Instrumental (Operant) Conditioning

A behavioral 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 behaviors.
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Strategic Applications of Classical

Conditioning
• Repetition- increases strength of associations
b/t CS and UCS and slows forgetting but over
time may result in advertising wearout.
• Cosmetic variations reduce satiation- diff back
grounds, spokespersons.

• Substantive Variations-
• Stimulus Generalization

• Stimulus Discrimination
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Substantive Variations

• Are changes in
advertisement
contents across
different versions
of the same adds
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Stimulus Generalization (SG)

Making the same response to slightly different

stimuli.The inability to perceive differences
between slightly dissimilar stimuli.

• SG and Marketing

• Me- To products.
• Product Line, Form and Category Extensions
• Family Branding
• Licensing
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Product Line Extension

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Manufacturer Licenses
Its Name
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Stimulus Discrimination

The ability to select a specific stimulus

from among similar stimuli because
of perceived differences.
• Positioning
• Differentiation
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Instrumental Conditioning
-Behaviour occurs because it is rewarding .

-Behaviour can be Shaped by rewarding that

behaviour.
Marketing applications
• Customer Satisfaction (Reinforcement)- pdt as
its own intrinsic reward.
• Reinforcement Schedules
– Shaping
– E.g casinos
– Lotteries , sweep stakes.
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Observational Learning
/ Modelling

A process by which individuals observe

the behavior of others, and
consequences of such behavior. Also
known as modeling or vicarious learning.
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Consumers Learn by
Modeling
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II Cognitive Learning Theory

Holds that the kind of learning most characteristic of human
beings is problem solving.
Information Processing
A cognitive theory of human learning patterned after computer
information processing that focuses on how information is stored
in human memory and how it is retrieved.
Retention-Information is stored in long-term
memory.
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Involvement Theory
A theory of consumer learning
which postulates that consumers
engage in a range of information
processing activity from extensive
to limited problem solving,
depending on the relevance of the
purchase.

• Split Brain
Theory
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Split Brain theory

Encouraging Right and Left Brain
Processing
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Involvement Theory and

Consumer Relevance
• Involvement Theory and Media Strategy
• Central and Peripheral Routes to Persuasion

A theory that proposes that highly involved

consumers are best reached through ads that
focus on the specific attributes of the product
(the central route) while uninvolved
consumers can be attracted through
peripheral advertising cues such as the model
or the setting (the peripheral route
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Measures of Consumer
Learning
• Recognition and Recall Measures
– Aided and Unaided Recall
– Copytesting Measures
• Attitudinal and Behavioral Measures
of Brand Loyalty