CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: Chapter 3 - Perception

Size, color, position, and novelty are all strategies for creating which of the following? A) Contrast B) Adaptation C) Vigilance D) Thresholds

A) Contrast

Ben Perez is driving along a mountain road. In the distance, he sees a road crew working on a fallen tree that has blocked the highway. When Ben first sees the road crew, which of the following perceptual processes has been engaged? A) Exposure B) Attention C) Adaptation D) Interpretation

A) Exposure

A philosophy that translates customers' feelings into design elements is called ________ engineering. A) Kansei B) Sigma C) relationship D) reverse

A) Kansei

A Green Giant ad campaign relied on the ________ when it used a redesigned package for Green Giant products that showed the Green Giant in a "sea of green." It was felt that the Green Giant products were not unified under a common design banner. A) Similarity principle B) Figure-ground principle C) Subliminal principle D) Closure principle

A) Similarity principle

Which term refers to the process by which the way a word sounds influences the listener's assumptions about what the word describes? A) Sound symbolism B) Audio watermarking C) Semiotics D) The principle of similarity

A) Sound symbolism

In the Western Culture the color black is often associated with ________. A) mourning B) innocence C) fear D) cult

A) mourning

Processing information from more than one medium at a time is known as ________. A) multitasking B) perceptual hyperactivity C) perceptual chunking D) interactive attention

A) multitasking

The ________ for a brand guides how a company uses elements of the marketing mix to influence the consumer's interpretation of the brand's meaning in the marketplace relative to its competitors. A) positioning strategy B) gestalt psychology C) sensory signature D) priming strategy

A) positioning strategy

_______ is a discipline that studies the correspondence between signs and symbols and their meaning. A) Interpretation B) Semiotics C) Indexing D) Symbolism

B) Semiotics

One of the principles of psychophysics is that change in the physical environment is not always matched by equal changes perceptually. If Madison Wilson were creating a new drink, what would psychophysics tell her? A) She could make the drink twice as sweet by adding twice the amount of sugar. B) She would need to research how the perception of "sweetness" changed by the amount of sugar added. C) She would need to look at the subliminal aspects of "sweetness." D) She would need to create promotions to tell customer's how "sweet" the new drink is.

B) She would need to research how the perception of "sweetness" changed by the amount of sugar added

Which of the following is most relevant to a company that wants to position a new brand on price leadership? A) Gestalt psychology B) Weber's Law C) Augmented reality D) The closure principle

B) Weber's Law

The process by which people select, organize, and interpret sensations is called ________. A) consumption B) perception C) adaption D) application

B) perception

Research has indicated that the color ________ creates feelings of arousal and stimulates appetite. A) blue B) red C) yellow D) black

B) red

According to Weber's Law, the ________ the initial stimulus, the greater a change must be for people to notice the change. A) more common B) stronger C) weaker D) more unusual

B) stronger

Which term refers to sensations that subtly influence how we think about a product? A) Perception B) Hedonic consumption C) Context effect D) Respondents

C) Context effect

The minimum difference that can be detected between two stimuli is known as the ________. A) absolute threshold B) gradual differentiation C) just noticeable difference D) graded difference

C) just noticeable difference

When consumers see only what they want to see—don't see what they don't want to see is called ________. A) perceptual retention B) perceptual contrast C) perceptual defense D) perceptual attention

C) perceptual defense

Mary Nabholz travels the same way to work every day. She notices advertisements in store windows when the ads first go up. However, after a few days, Mary no longer pays any attention to these ads because they have become familiar. Which of the following is affecting Mary's response to the ads? A) Perceptual vigilance B) Perceptual defense C) Contrast D) Adaptation

D) Adaptation

Define the term "hedonic consumption."

Hedonic consumption is a multisensory, fantasy, and emotional aspect of a consumer interaction with a product.

_______________ occurs when a stimulus comes within range of someone's sensory receptors. a. Exposure b. Attention c. Selection d. Elaboration

a. Exposure

Ben Perez is driving along a mountain road. In the distance, he sees a road crew working on a fallen tree that has blocked the highway. When Ben first sees the road crew, which of the following perceptual processes has been engaged? a. Exposure. b. Attention. c. Comprehension. d. Interpretation.

a. Exposure.

Males and females have different appreciations of textures (touch sensitivity). When feeling fabrics, which of the following fabrics is evaluated as "high class" by males? a. Wool. b. Silk. c. Denim. d. Cotton.

a. Wool.

The ______________ refers to the minimum amount of stimulation that can be detected on a sensory channel. a. absolute threshold b. differential threshold c. intensity threshold d. relative threshold

a. absolute threshold

With respect to sensory stimulation, research has shown that __________ is a direct line to good or bad feelings, hunger, and even memories of happy times. This sense is processed by the limbic system, the most primitive part of the brain and the place where immediate emotions are experienced. a. smell b. sight c. touch d. taste

a. smell

The Muzak Corporation estimates that its recordings are heard by 80 million people every day. If a company wishes to counteract a lull in consumer activity, Muzak can program their music to increase tempo gradually to offset consumer inactivity. In formal terms this technique would be called: a. stimulus progression. b. stimulus input. c. stimulus polarity. d. stimulus recession.

a. stimulus progression.

____________________ refers to the extent to which processing activity is devoted to a particular stimulus. a. Exposure b. Attention c. Comprehension d. Retention

b. Attention

A producer of a candy product wants to be the "sweetest" candy on the market, but he has found that consumers are having difficulty telling exactly which of several competing candy products is really the "sweetest." This producer might be having difficulty with which of the following sensory thresholds? a. Absolute threshold. b. Differential threshold. c. Intensity threshold. d. Relative threshold.

b. Differential threshold.

A billboard is positioned correctly beside a busy highway. However, the merchant that has purchased the billboard is complaining that no response is being generated by his advertising message. Upon closer inspection, the billboard company determines that the typeface used is too small to be effectively read by a motorist going 60+ mph on the highway. Which of the following sensory thresholds would be most appropriate to explain the failure of this advertisement to connect with motorists? a. The differential threshold. b. The absolute threshold. c. The intensity threshold. d. The relative threshold.

b. The absolute threshold.

Changes in our culture also determine the tastes we find desirable. There is a greater appreciation of ethnic dishes than before. Which of the following best reflects a current trend with respect to the American consumers' taste preferences? a. Fish-flavored chips. b. The desire to find the ultimate pepper sauce. c. The desire for more bland-tasting foods to aid in the consumers' desire to lose weight. d. Pork-flavored sandwich meats.

b. The desire to find the ultimate pepper sauce.

The _________________ refers to the ability of a sensory system to detect changes or differences between two stimuli. a. absolute threshold b. differential threshold c. intensity threshold d. relative threshold

b. differential threshold

Exposure, attention, and interpretation make up the process of: a. consumption. b. perception. c. retention. d. stimulus referral.

b. perception.

11. In a recent court case, Kodak successfully defended its right to protect the Kodak colors (yellow, black, and red) from competitor infringement. When a company is strongly associated with a color or combination of colors it is called the company's: a. color lock. b. trade dress. c. hue orientation. d. color right.

b. trade dress.

Color plays a dominant role in Web page design. Assume that you were the marketing manager for a start-up dot.com business and wanted to capture a Web surfer's attention quickly. To capture attention, which of the following colors would you most probably want to use for your opening Web page's background? a. Black. b. Pastel Blue. c. Green. d. White.

c. Green.

__________ can stir emotions or create a calming feeling. a. Vibrations b. Taste c. Odors d. Subliminal advertising

c. Odors

A consumer sees a magazine ad for chocolate chip cookies. The ad shows a child laying out in an open field staring up at the clouds in the blue sky. If the consumer were to look very closely, there is a message in the puffy white clouds. The message reads "how about a cookie?" If this ad actually occurred, the advertiser would be using which of the following techniques to try and influence consumers? a. Gestalt psychology. b. Freudian psychology. c. Subliminal perceptual persuasion. d. Pseudopsychodrama.

c. Subliminal perceptual persuasion.

Which of the following statements concerning the state of auditory subliminal perception or suggestion BEST characterizes the impact of such hidden messages on the average consumer? a. There is a strong indication that behavior can be modified by subliminal message stimulation through auditory channels. b. There is mounting evidence that the subliminal technique actually works when applied to auditory channels. c. There is little evidence that desired changes actually occur because of the subliminal messages that are carried on auditory channels. d. There is conclusive evidence that subliminal messages are useful in modifying behavior through auditory channels.

c. There is little evidence that desired changes actually occur because of the subliminal messages that are carried on auditory channels.

The minimum difference that can be detected between two stimuli is known as the: a. "bare" minimum. b. gradual differentiation. c. j.n.d. (just noticeable difference). d. graded difference.

c. j.n.d. (just noticeable difference).

Shaun and Sam were talking in class, but so was everyone else. As they continued to discuss their day's adventures, it suddenly became clear to them that the teacher was staring at them. They didn't realize that the class had been called to order and what was once only one conversation among many was now disruptive. Shaun apologized quickly and the teacher resumed her normal activities. This would be a good example of how a consumer's ability to detect a difference between two stimuli is ________. a. absolute. b. negligible. c. relative. d. gender specific.

c. relative.

Marketers rely heavily on visual elements. Meanings are communicated on the visual channel through a product's color. In many Eastern societies, the color ___________ is associated with mourning. a. yellow b. purple c. white d. black

c. white

The Japanese are tuned to using sensory mechanisms and stimulations in the construction of their cars. The Japanese usage of what they call Kansei engineering is associated with which of the following sensory elements? a. Taste. b. Smell. c. Sight. d. Touch.

d. Touch.

A retailer decides to reduce the price of a sport coat that normally costs $98. The reduction in price is $3. The storeowner believes that the reduction will catch the eye of the value shopper. If the sport coat does not sell, the retailer might wish to consider which of the following before making another price change? a. Hermann's theorem. b. Packard's Law. c. Sensory theory. d. Weber's Law.

d. Weber's Law.

Colors often look duller to older people. Because of this fact, car companies often make adjustments in color selections aimed at older consumers. Since Lexus sells to many mature consumers, which of the following car colors accounts for 60 percent of all Lexus sales? a. Black. b. Blue. c. Red. d. White.

d. White.

The science that focuses on how the physical environment is integrated into our personal, subjective world is known as: a. sensation dynamics. b. psychographics. c. subliminal persuasion. d. psychophysics.

d. psychophysics.

All of the following are now part of what is called scented marketing (a $90 million business) EXCEPT: a. scented clothes. b. scented cars and planes. c. scented advertisements. d. scented emails.

d. scented emails.

A threshold for a receptor is: a. the edge beyond which no one can return. b. the parameters for the receptor. c. the ability to jump between scientific disciplines. d. the lowest intensity of a stimulus that can be registered on a sensory channel.

d. the lowest intensity of a stimulus that can be registered on a sensory channel.

A consumer's ability to detect a difference between two stimuli is relative to the strength of those stimuli.

true

Consumers are more likely to be aware of stimuli that relate to their current needs. This is an example of perceptual vigilance.

true

Individuals have different absolute thresholds for visual and aural stimuli. This fact supports the statement that subliminal advertising would need to be tailored to the individual in order to be effective.

true

Interpretation is the last stage of the perceptual process.

true

Novelty in the form of interruption intensifies our experiences, increases our enjoyment of pleasant stimuli and amplifies our dislike of unpleasant stimuli.

true

On Breaking Bad. the popular television drama, the fictional Los Pollos Hermanos is a popular fast-food chain. Many Breaking Bad web sites now sell items bearing the Los Pollos Hermanos name and logo. This is an example of hyperreality.

true

The location of a product's image on a package influences the way our brains make sense of it; we perceive objects lower in a frame to be heavier than objects higher in the frame and objects on the right side of a frame heavier than those on the left side of the frame.

true

Unlike computers, people do not passively process whatever information happens to be present.

true

According to the retailer's rule of thumb based on the closure principle, when a sale catalog is created, the prices (on average) of the products in the catalog should be reduced by about 20 percent.

false

Alba is dedicated to fitness and nutrition. She rarely eats fast food because of the high calories and low nutritional value. Though Alba is exposed to many advertising messages from fast food restaurants each day, she rarely processes these messages. This is an example of subliminal perception.

false

Haptic refers to a consumer's sense of sight.

false

Perception refers to the immediate response of our sensory receptors to basic stimuli.

false

Sensory marketing has proven to be largely ineffective as a marketing approach.

false

The absolute threshold is dependent upon how strong a marketer makes a stimulus.

false

The first step in the perception process is called attention.

false

The icons on the restroom doors in a bar in Wyoming are a doe and a buck. This is an excellent example of hyperreality.

false

Weber's Law states that the intensity of the stimulus is greater if its duration is increased.

false

When consumers become aware of stimuli that relate to their currents needs, they are practicing perceptual vigilance.

true

You can understand the following uniquely-printed sentence because of the Gestalt principle of closure. Perception is imptant in undrstdng consmr bhavr.

true

________ refers to the extent to which processing activity is devoted to a particular stimulus. A) Subliminal perception B) Sensory marketing C) An embed D) Attention

A) Subliminal perception

All consumers carry schemata in their minds when they enter the marketplace. According to the principles of perceptual vigilance and defense, a marketer should be careful to create a promotion for the new product that ________. A) conforms to the consumers' schemata B) violates the customers' schemata C) requires that customers defend their current views about the product category D) is simple and easy to understand

A) conforms to the consumers' schemata

Tiny figures that are inserted in magazine advertising are called ________. A) embeds B) hidden images C) attention images D) novelties

A) embeds

As manufacturing costs decrease and the amount of products that people accumulate goes up, consumers increasingly want to buy things that will provide ________ value. A) hedonic B) Gestalt C) embedded D) referent

A) hedonic

Nadia Ali loves the feel of her new sweater and the smell of her leather car seats on a crisp fall day. As she passes a billboard, she sees an ad for Baskin-Robbins ice cream and immediately does a U-turn into the shopping center where she knows the famous ice cream store is located. In the above example, Nadia is responding to ________. A) sensory inputs emanating from the external environment B) sensory inputs emanating for the internal environment C) emotional outputs D) decision sequences dictated by sensory outputs

A) sensory inputs emanating from the external environment

________ perspective is best summarized by the saying "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." A) Freudian traits analysis B) Weber's law C) Gestalt D) Kansei

C) Gestalt

________ refers to the meanings we assign to sensory stimuli. A) Contrast B) Perception C) Interpretation D) Cues

C) Interpretation

Which term refers to perception that is below the level of the consumer's awareness? A) Perceptual vigilance B) Relative difference C) Subliminal perception D) Attention

C) Subliminal perception

A common practice among advertisers is to create new relationships between objects and interpretants by inventing new connections between products and benefits. How would a marketer use hyperreality to find a new use for baking soda? A) By associating the soda with its ability to absorb odors B) By associating the soda with a fictional character called Simon Soda C) By emphasizing the low cost of the soda D) By explaining the historic importance of baking soda in germ protection

B) By associating the soda with a fictional character called Simon Soda

Our brains tend to relate incoming sensations to others already in memory, based on some fundamental organizational principles. These principles derive from ________, a school of thought that maintains that people interpret meaning from the totality of a set of stimuli rather than from any individual stimulus. A) Freudian psychology B) Gestalt psychology C) Simmons psychology D) the Covey approach

B) Gestalt psychology

Which of the following best characterizes hedonic consumption? A) Bill can't get an advertising jingle out of his mind when he enters a store and sees the product the jingle advertises. B) Kim can never buy fashionable clothes without looking carefully at their construction and then feeling the quality of the cloth with her fingers. C) Marcus often buys products just to make his wife angry. He thinks that since she is such a penny-pincher she ought to be punished. Buying unneeded items is how Marcus punishes her frugality. D) A new video game rapidly becomes more popular than an older one because it has much faster action.

B) Kim can never buy fashionable clothes without looking carefully at their construction and then feeling the quality of the cloth with her fingers.

When Coke weaves a sound into a piece of music, the advertisement is using ________. A) sound marketing B) audio watermarking C) sound watermarking D) music marketing

B) audio watermarking

The ________ threshold refers to the ability of a sensory system to detect changes between two stimuli. A) absolute B) differential C) intensity D) relative

B) differential

According to the exposure factor leading to adaptation, frequently encountered stimuli ________ as the rate of exposure increases. A) adapt B) habituate C) prime D) overload

B) habituate

The ________ sense appears to moderate the relationship between product experience and judgment confidence. A) sound B) haptic C) taste D) sight

B) haptic

Because the brain's capacity to process information is limited, consumers are very selective about what they pay attention to and tend to select stimuli that relate to their current needs. This type of perceptual filter is called ________. A) perceptual defense B) perceptual vigilance C) subliminal perception D) adaptation

B) perceptual vigilance

Lifestyle, attributes, competitors, and quality are all dimensions marketers can use to carve out a brand's ________ in the marketplace. A) sensory signature B) position C) priming D) trade dress

B) position

The average adult is exposed to about 3,500 pieces of advertising information every single day, far more information than they can or are willing to process. Consumers who are exposed to more information than they can process are in a state of ________. A) advertising bombardment B) sensory overload C) sensory shifting D) circuit overcapacity

B) sensory overload

A common practice among advertisers is to create new relationships between objects and interpretants by inventing new connections between products and benefits. A classic example of this was equating Marlboro cigarettes with the American frontier spirit. Which of the following terms best describes this practice? A) Subliminal persuasion B) Figure-ground projection C) Semiotic relationships D) Consumer-modeling connections

C) Semiotic relationships

A billboard is positioned beside a busy highway. However, the merchant that has purchased the billboard complains that no response is being generated by his advertising message. Upon closer inspection, the billboard company determines that the typeface used is too small to be effectively read by a motorist going 60+ mph on the highway. Which of the following sensory thresholds would be most appropriate to explain the failure of this advertisement to connect with motorists? A) The intensity threshold B) The differential threshold C) The absolute threshold D) The relative threshold

C) The absolute threshold

Which of the following most accurately reflects the current thinking about the use of subliminal perception in marketing promotion and advertising? A) Subliminal messages are below the threshold of perception, so they cannot be utilized in marketing. B) Subliminal ads can be effective, but customers do not like them; therefore marketers avoid them. C) There is some evidence that subliminal perception can have limited effects, but the effects are not specific enough to make subliminal messages effective in advertising. D) It comes down to a matter of attention. If a viewer will pay enough attention to a subliminal message, then it can have specific effects.

C) There is some evidence that subliminal perception can have limited effects, but the effects are not specific enough to make subliminal messages effective in advertising.

According to the ________ factor leading to adaptation, simple stimuli habituate because they do not require attention to detail. A) exposure B) vigilance C) discrimination D) relevance

C) discrimination

The sensory characteristic of a product that sticks with consumers, helping them to remember the product in a unique way, is called the ________. A) phoneme B) schema C) sensory input D) interpretant

C) sensory input

If a consumer chooses not to perceive they are reaching ________. A) just noticeable difference B) differential threshold C) sensory threshold D) absolute threshold

C) sensory threshold

When Coca-Cola embeds sexual images in their advertising, they are using ________. A) sensory marketing B) attention marketing C) subliminal perception D) threshold marketing

C) subliminal perception

A(n) ________ is a sign that relates to a product by either conventional or agreed-on associations. A) icon B) index C) symbol D) schema

C) symbol

A retailer decides to reduce the price of a sport coat that normally costs $98. The reduction in price is $3. The storeowner believes that the reduction will catch the eye of the value shopper. If the sport coat does not sell, the retailer might wish to consider which of the following before making another price change? A) Subliminal perception B) The figure-ground principle C) The golden triangle D) Weber's law

D) Weber's law

A stage in the perception process is ________. A) exposure B) attention C) interpretation D) all of the above

D) all of the above

When we ________ products, we evaluate them using schemas we typically apply to classify people. A) prime B) filter C) imprint D) anthropomorphize

D) anthropomorphize

When a stimulus comes within the range of someone's sensory receptor, a(n) ________ occurs. A) just noticeable difference (j.n.d.) B) retention C) subliminal suggestion D) exposure

D) exposure

In the past, ketchup formed an unbecoming "scum" on its surface when exposed to air, so manufacturers created the traditionally shaped ketchup bottle with the narrow opening. When chemicals were developed to reduce the oxidation, it was then possible to sell ketchup in more conveniently shaped containers. Customers, however, rejected bottles that didn't have the traditional ketchup shape. This is an example of the power of ________ in the marketplace. A) sensory overload B) thresholds C) hyperreality D) schema

D) schema

Companies that think carefully about the impact of sensations on product experiences are practicing ________. A) hedonic consumption B) need marketing C) want marketing D) sensory marketing

D) sensory marketing

Research has shown that Kansei engineering can be an effective way to design products. Explain how Kansei engineering works and give an illustration that demonstrates your understanding.

Kansei engineering is a Japanese philosophy that translates customers' feelings into design elements. For example, many carmakers have changed the design of the driver's seat to make drivers feel taller. Ford's version is called "Command Seating" to reinforce the feeling of power it wants drivers to experience as they look down on all those little vehicles buzzing around them.

________________ is the process by which sensations are selected, organized, and interpreted. a. Reception b. Sensation c. Perception d. Awareness

c. Perception

Jin Franklin is driving through a crowded shopping district when she smells the wonderful aroma of fresh baked bread. She looks to see if a bakery or restaurant is nearby but sees nothing except clothing stores. Trying to find and then clarify meaning in this case would be an exercise in: a. reception. b. sensation. c. perception. d. fact finding.

c. perception.

Hedonic consumption has been seen as: a. the art of rational consumption and decision-making. b. purely social interaction and this interaction's ability to influence decision-making. c. the multi-sensory, fantasy, and emotional aspects of consumers' interactions with products. d. consumption motivated by subliminal suggestion.

c. the multi-sensory, fantasy, and emotional aspects of consumers' interactions with products.

Which of the following would be the best illustration of sensory data emanating from the external environment? a. A young man remembers the taste of a favorite ice cream. b. An older woman remembers what it was like to bake a birthday cake for her children. c. A student daydreams about scoring a winning run in a ballgame. d. A student smells fresh flowers from a teacher's desk.

d. A student smells fresh flowers from a teacher's desk.

The immediate response by our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, or fingers to such basic stimuli as light, color, sound, odor, and texture is called: a. reception. b. awareness. c. perception. d. sensation.

d. sensation.

A behavioral researcher studying how consumers use multi-sensory, fantasy, and emotional factors in selecting products is studying hedonic consumption.

true

A process by which the way a word sounds influences our assumptions about a product's attributes is called sound symbolism.

true

An index is a sign that connects to a product because they share some property.

true

As people's income rise, they are more likely to prefer additional experiences over additional possessions.

true

Colors look duller to older people, which why they prefer white and other bright tones.

true

Some color combinations can become so associated with a company that the corporation may be granted exclusive use of these colors.

true

When consumers are exposed to far too much information they are experiencing sensory overload.

true