Perception. Sensation and Perception. Sensory Systems An Overview of the Perception Process

Transcription

1 Perception Sensation and Perception Cross Cultural Studies in Consumer Behavior Assist. Prof. Dr. Özge Özgen Department of International Business and Trade Sensation: The immediate response of our sensory receptors (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, fingers) to basic stimuli such as light, color, sound, odors, and textures Perception: The process by which sensations are selected, organized, and interpreted The Study of Perception: Focuses on what we add to raw sensations to give them meaning An Overview of the Perception Process Sensory Systems External stimuli, or sensory inputs, can be received on a number of different channels. Inputs picked up by our five senses are the raw data that begin the perceptual process. Hedonic Consumption: The multisensory, fantasy, and emotional aspects of consumers interactions with products Figure

2 Advertisements Appeal to Our Sensory Systems Hedonic Consumption This ad for a luxury car emphasizes the contribution made by all of our senses to the evaluation of a driving experience Sensory Systems - Vision Marketers rely heavily on visual elements in advertising, store design, and packaging. Meanings are communicated on the visual channel through a product s color, size, and styling. Colors may influence our emotions more directly. Arousal and stimulated appetite (e.g. red) Relaxation (e.g. blue)

3 Perceptions of Color Sensory Perceptions - Vision Red color stimulates appetite Some reactions to color come from learned associations. (e.g. Black is associated with mourning in the United States, whereas white is associated with mourning in Japan.) Some reactions to color are due to biological and cultural differences. (e.g. Women tend to be drawn to brighter tones) Sensory Perceptions - Vision Color plays a dominant role in Web page design. Saturated colors (green, yellow, orange, and cyan) are considered the best to capture attention. Don t overdo it. Extensive use of saturated colors can overwhelm people and cause visual fatigue. Trade Dress: Colors that are strongly associated with a corporation, for which the company may have exclusive rights for their use. (e.g. Kodak s use of yellow, black, and red)

4 Perceptions of Color Discussion Question As this Dutch detergent ad demonstrates (Flowery orange fades without Dreft), vivid colors are often an attractive product feature. First Heinz gave us Blastin Green ketchup in a squeeze bottle. Now they have introduced Funky Purple ketchup. What sensory perception is Heinz trying to appeal to? Do you think this product will be successful? Why or why not? Sensory Perceptions - Smell Visual Communication Differences through Culture: Cosmetic Ads in Europe Odors can stir emotions or create a calming feeling. Some responses to scents result from early associations that call up good or bad feelings. Marketers are finding ways to use smell: Scented clothes Scented stores Scented cars and planes Scented household products Scented advertisements

5 Visual Communication Differences through Culture: Cosmetic Ads in Asia Visual Communication Differences through Culture Western visiual communication is deeply affected by the convention of writing from left to right. Centeral composition Centering is fundemental principle in visual art in many Asian countries Sensory Perceptions - Sound Advertising jingles create brand awareness. Background music creates desired moods. Sound affects people s feelings and behaviors. Muzak uses a system it calls stimulus progression to increase the normally slower tempo of workers during midmorning and midafternoon time slots. Sound engineering: Top-end automakers are using focus groups of consumers to help designers choose appropriate sounds to elicit the proper response Sensory Perceptions - Sound Advertising jingles create brand awareness. Background music creates desired moods. Sound affects people s feelings and behaviors. Jingle bells During new year shopping

6 Sensory Perceptions - Touch Tactile Quality Associations Relatively little research has been done on the effects of tactile stimulation on the consumer, but common observation tells us that this sensory channel is important. People associate textures of fabrics and other surfaces with product quality. Perceived richness or quality of the material in clothing is linked to its feel, whether rough or smooth. Tactile Oppositions in Fabrics Perception Male Female High class Wool Silk Fine Low class Denim Cotton Heavy Light Coarse 2-21 Table Sensory Perceptions - Taste Taste receptors contribute to our experience of many products. Specialized companies called flavor houses are constantly developing new concoctions to please the changing palates of consumers. Changes in culture also determine the tastes we find desirable. Exposure Exposure: Occurs when a stimulus comes within the range of someone s sensory receptors Consumers concentrate on some stimuli, are unaware of others, and even go out of their way to ignore some messages

7 Sensory Thresholds Subliminal Perception Psychophysics: The science that focuses on how the physical environment is integrated into our personal subjective world. Absolute Threshold: The minimum amount of stimulation that can be detected on a given sensory channel. Differential Threshold: The ability of a sensory system to detect changes or differences between two stimuli. The minimum difference that can be detected between two stimuli is known as the j.n.d. (just noticeable difference). Subliminal perception: Occurs when the stimulus is below the level of the consumer s awareness. Subliminal techniques: Embeds: Tiny figures that are inserted into magazine: advertising by using high-speed photography or airbrushing. Does subliminal perception work? There is little evidence that subliminal stimuli can bring about desired behavioral changes Subliminal Messages in Ads Attention Attention: The extent to which processing activity is devoted to a particular stimulus. Eye-tracking Selective Perception: We actually see what we want to see and expect to see, even if it is not there. Effect of culture +IND Selective perception process is stronger

8 Attention and Advertising Nike tries to cut through the clutter by spotlighting maimed athletes instead of handsome models. Personal Selection Factors Experience: The result of acquiring and processing stimulation over time Perceptual vigilance: Consumers are aware of stimuli that relate to their current needs Perceptual defense: People see what they want to see - and don t see what they don t want to see Adaptation: The degree to which consumers continue to notice a stimulus over time Stimulus Selection Factors Size: The size of the stimulus itself in contrast to the competition helps to determine if it will command attention. Color: Color is a powerful way to draw attention to a product. Position: Stimuli that are present in places we re more likely to look stand a better chance of being noticed. Novelty: Stimuli that appear in unexpected ways or places tend to grab our attention

9 Unexpected Things Discussion Question What technique does this Australian ad rely on to get your attention? Does the technique enhance or detract from the advertisement of the actual product?

10 Unexpected Things Attention to Stimuli Interpretation: The meaning that we assign sensory stimuli. Schema: Set of beliefs to which the stimulus is assigned. Priming: Process by which certain properties of a stimulus typically will evoke a schema, which leads consumers to evaluate the stimulus in terms of other stimulus they have encountered and believe to be similar Schema-Based Perception Stimulus Organization Advertisers know that consumers will often relate an ad to preexisting schema in order to make sense of it A stimulus will be interpreted based on its assumed relationship with other events, sensations, or images. Closure Principle: People tend to perceive an incomplete picture as complete. Principle of Similarity: Consumers tend to group together objects that share the same physical characteristics. Figure-ground Principle: One part of a stimulus will dominate (the figure) and other parts will recede into the background (the ground)

11 Gestalt Principle Principle of Closure This Swedish ad relies upon gestalt perceptual principles to insure that the perceiver organizes a lot of separate images into a familiar image This Land Rover ad illustrates the use of the principle of closure, in which people participate in the ad by mentally filling in the gaps in the sentence Principle of Closure Principle of Similarity

12 Figure-ground Principle Figure-ground Principle This billboard for Wrangler jeans makes creative use of the figure-ground principle Semiotics: The Symbols Around Us Semiotics: Field of study that examines the correspondence between signs and symbols and their role in the assignment of meaning. A message has 3 components: 1) Object: the product that focuses the message 2) Sign: the sensory imagery that represents the intended meanings of the object 3) Interpretant: the meaning derived Semiotic Components 2-47 Figure