What is Consumer Learning?

Consumer Learning is the process by which individuals acquire the purchase and consumption knowledge and experience they apply to future related behaviour.

Most of the learning is incidental. Some of it is intentional

Basic elements that contribute to an understanding of learning are:

Motivation Cues Response Reinforcement

There are 2 theories on how Individuals learn: Behavioural Theory Cognitive Theory Both contribute to an understanding of consumer behaviour. Behavioural Theorists view learning as observable responses to stimuli, whereas Cognitive Theorists believe that learning is a function of mental processing.

3 Major Behavioural Learning Theories are :

Classical Conditioning : Includes Repetition, Stimulus generalization and Stimulus discrimination. Instrumental Conditioning: Instrumental Learning theorists believe that learning occurs through a trial and error process in which the positive outcomes in the form of results or desired outcomes lead to repeat behaviour like Repeat Purchase or Repeat Positive Word of Mouth. Both positive and negative reinforcement can be used to encourage the desired behaviour. The timing of repetitions influences how long the learned material is retained. Learning usually persists longer with distributed reinforcement schedule, while mass repetitions produce more initial learning's.

Observational Conditioning or Vicarious Learning: Observational learning, also called social learning theory, occurs when an observers behaviour changes after viewing the behaviour of a model. An observers behaviour can be affected by the positive or negative consequencescalled vicarious reinforcement or vicarious punishment of a models behaviour.

the observer will imitate the models behaviour if the model possesses characteristics things such as talent, intelligence, power, good looks, or popularity

Cognitive learning theory holds that the kind of learning most characteristics of humans is PROBLEM SOLVING. Cognitive theorists are concerned with how information is processes by the human mind: how it is stored, retained, and retrieved.

Sensory Input

Sensory Store

Rehearsal

Working Memory (Shortterm Store)

Encoding

Longterm Store

Retrieval

Forgotten ; lost

Forgotten ; lost

Forgotten; unavailable

Involvement theory: under this theory, Low Involvement Media: TV ads generate familiarity with the brand and induce purchase behaviour. Nonverbal or pictorial are more effective in generating recall and familiarity with the product. High Involvement Media: verbal or print media generates the cognitive activity that encourages consumers to evaluate the advantages and disadvng of the product.