preview

The Behavior Of Mainstream Consumers

Better Essays

This paper will be concerned with efforts to understand the behaviour of mainstream consumers. It will be argued that behavioural learning theory provides the most effective approach to explaining consumer behaviour. According to behavioural learning theory, consumers respond to reinforcements that are presented to them within the marketing environment. The following paper will refer to research evidence that supports the use of a behavioural approach in analysing consumer behavior. Then, the concept of reinforcements will be applied to influencing consumers to adopt “the art of slow living,” as promoted by the Italian organization known as Associazione Culturale.
Theories of learning and memory are useful in the analysis of consumer behaviour. However, a distinction exists between cognitive learning theories and behavioural learning theories. Cognitive learning theories are based on the idea that learning is an intellectual process, involving such activities as selecting, sorting, analysing and information processing. According to Cadogan & Simintiras (1996), the cognitive learning approach has been applied to consumer marketing in the form of “mediationism.” Mediationism takes emotional aspects into consideration, along with cognitive aspects. As stated by Cadogan & Simintiras (1996, p. 57), “mediationism attempts to explain behaviour through internal events, such as urges, wishes, thoughts, and expectations.”
Cadogan & Simintiras reject this approach and

Get Access