Class 3: Perception Flashcards
Session 3 – September 12 Chapter 3
Sensation
The immediate response of our sensory receptors (eyes, ears,
nose, mouth, and fingers) to basic stimuli (light, color, sound,
odor, and texture).
Perception
The process by which sensations are selected, organized, and
interpreted.
Perceptual Process
Sensation:
Sights -> Eyes
Sounds -> Ears
Smells -> Nose
Taste -> Mouth
Textures -> Skin
Process of Perception:
Exposure -> Attention -> Interpretation
Sensation: Vision
- Many of our consumption decisions are based on how things look.
- Colors can provoke emotions.
- ‘Trade Dress’ plays an important role in how consumers recognize products and brands.
Sensation: Smell
- Odors create mood and promote memories.
- Marketers use scents:
- Inside products, in promotions (e.g., scratch ‘n sniff), in
stores
Sensation: Hearing
- Sound affects behaviour and feelings
- Music in stores can sway purchases
- Jingles are an effective advertising tool
Sensation: Touch
- Haptic senses—or touch—are the most basic, and
earliest learned. - Touching affects the product experience:
- Waitresses who touch patrons get bigger tips
- Contagious consumption
- Touching an item forms a relationship with the product
Consumers are willing to pay more for products they have touched vs. products
they have not touched.
Touching creates a sense of perceived
ownership which increases perceived –
this is called the endowment effect.
Sensation: Taste
- People form strong preferences for particular flavours
- Tastes can evolve
- As we age, our taste buds become less sensitive
- Link between taste and colour
Exposure
▪ Exposure occurs when a stimulus comes within
range of someone’s sensory receptors
▪ We can concentrate on, ignore, or completely miss
stimuli.
▪ There are so many sensory stimuli in our environment that we are in a state of sensory overload.
What do we Notice? - Sensory Thresholds
Absolute threshold:
The minimum amount of stimulation that can be
detected on a given sensory channel
Differential threshold:
Ability of a sensory system to detect changes or
differences between two stimuli (i.e., pricing,
packaging)
If you do not want consumers to notice a change→ fall below Just Noticeable Difference (JND)
Attention
Attention – The extent to which processing activity is
devoted to a particular stimulus.
▪ Marketers spend a great deal of effort attempting to attract attention.
▪ Typically through the use of surprising or unexpected stimuli – expectancy violation.
Attention: Perceptual Selection
People attend to only a small portion of the stimuli to which they are exposed.
Perceptual vigilance → pay attention to things that relate to current needs.
Perceptual defense → ignore things that don’t fit with our existing beliefs.
Adaptation → stop paying attention to something because it is familiar.
Interpretation
▪ Consumers consider the entire situation – gestalt – to discern overall patterns and meanings.
▪ Consumers think about both the functional elements of brands and products as well as the symbolic elements.
▪ Consumers try to make sense of what they are exposed to and tend to relate incoming sensations to those that are already in memory.
Semiotics
Semiotics: correspondence between signs and
symbols and their role in the assignment of meaning
▪ Marketing messages have three basic components:
Object (Product)
Interpretant (Meaning)
Sign (Image)
Perceptual Positioning
Brand perceptions = functional attributes + symbolic attributes
CleanSlateUV Case
- Mobile devices were banned in the neonatal intensive care unit of a major hospital because they can spread superbugs.
- Similar, and often ineffective, bans were in place in other intensive care units, emergency rooms, and operating rooms.
- mobile technology is critical for the smooth operation of these units.
- Taylor co-founded CleanSlate UV, a company dedicated to developing easy-to-use products that rapidly eliminate pathogens on mobile electronics by harnessing the power of ultraviolet (UV) light.
- Devices are designed to be integrated into high-traffic workspaces where staff can clean their technology with no training required.
- Currently, the team is the early stages of developing a “kiosk” or wall-mounted product design for sanitizing phones in corporate stores, transit hubs, malls and other public areas.
- To the uninformed passerby in a mall or train station, UV disinfection is mysterious and intangible. Technology enters and exits the CleanSlate device looking identical, making the service invisible, silent, and a tough sell to the average consumer. Two complex elements of consumer behaviour therefore need to prioritized in the design and deployment of the CleanSlate kiosk: consumer engagement and consumer trust.
CleanSlateUV Case: Goals
Engagement
Taylor plans incorporate a display screen into the design of the kiosk to somehow appeal to consumer engagement.
The screens could display customizable customer information (e.g. news, directory) or graphics to involve or update consumers on the sanitization process. Recent academic literature suggests that operational transparency increases consumers’ perceived value, meaning consumers think a service - like sanitizing a phone - is more valuable when it appears to be effortful.26 A design element to involve consumers and concretize the disinfecting process could therefore add value and excitement to the service.
Trust
In hospital and food processing facilities, CleanSlate already appears legitimate to its users for several reasons. Firstly, the disinfection systems is introduced and used by management, giving the device major credibility from the moment it is installed. Additionally, staff within these facilities are uniquely knowledgeable about bacteria-killing technology given the industries and environments they work in.
Additionally, asking consumers to place their phones in a foreign device in a public space is also met with major skepticism.
CleanSlateUV Case: Engagement Solutions
- Operational Transparency via Visual Feedback
Incorporate LED indicators or animations on the kiosk’s display screen that visually represent the sanitization process (e.g., a UV light simulation or a countdown timer).
Use augmented reality (AR) to show a simulated “before and after” bacteria reduction on a phone screen.
- Gamification Elements
Offer incentives for frequent use, such as loyalty points or discounts redeemable at partnered stores or transit hubs.
Integrate engaging visuals or trivia games during the 30-second process to retain attention.
- Dynamic Content on LCD Screen
Display real-time information, such as air quality, public health tips, or entertainment like news or ads, personalized to the kiosk’s location.
Highlight the kiosk’s contribution to health and sustainability (e.g., “You’ve eliminated 99.999% of bacteria—helping to keep your space safe!”).
- Interactive Design
Allow users to select themes or animations for the screen while they wait, creating a personalized experience.
Integrate social sharing options post-sanitization to encourage word-of-mouth (e.g., “Share your sanitized phone selfie!”).
CleanSlateUV Case: Trust-Building Strategies
- Certification and Validation Display
Clearly showcase certifications, endorsements, or partnerships with trusted organizations (e.g., health departments, hospitals, or major retailers).
Display testimonials or usage data from reputable facilities (e.g., “Trusted by 300+ hospitals worldwide”).
- Visual Safety and Security Features
Use transparent materials or a partial-view window to let users see their device being sanitized.
Implement secure locking mechanisms to ensure the phone is safe from theft during the process.
- Simplified User Education
Provide on-screen visuals or infographics explaining the science behind UV-C light and its efficacy in killing pathogens.
Offer short videos or animations about the technology’s hospital-grade origins to underline credibility.
- Consumer Endorsements and Reviews
Encourage users to leave reviews about their experience directly at the kiosk or online via a QR code.
Highlight positive reviews and social proof directly on the kiosk’s display.
- Public Demonstrations and Trial Runs
Host events or live demonstrations in malls or transit hubs to showcase the device’s function and results.
Offer free sanitization during initial deployment phases to build familiarity and acceptance.
