Tuesday 5 June 2012

TESTING COGNITIVE DISSONANCE THEORY: CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS ABOUT NEUROMARKETING

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TESTING COGNITIVE DISSONANCE THEORY: CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS ABOUT NEUROMARKETING
Metehan Tolon
PhD, Research Assistant, Gazi University
Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
F. Bahar Ozdogan
PhD, Instructor, Baskent University
Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
Zeliha Eser
Associate Professor, Baskent University
Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
Abstract
Neuromarketing is the application of neuroimaging techniques mediated by a specific cortical response in order to analyze and understand human behavior in relation to markets and marketing exchange. This purpose of the present exploratory research was to examine the attitude of consumer’s to neuromarketing. The implication of the research is that consumers have positive attitude to neuromarketing. However, their behavior (being a participant in neuromarketing research) is not positive as much as their attitude. Therefore, this result is supported by Cognitive Dissonance Theory.
Literature
In forming theories and models used in consumer research qualitative research techniques have played an important role in investigating consumer motivation, perceptions and decision-making process (Richie and Goeldner, 1994). As one of the potential qualitative research techniques, neuromarketing is an emerging form of market research which offers a considerable advantage over the more traditional forms and is defined as the application of neuroimaging techniques mediated by a specific cortical response in order to analyze and understand human behavior in relation to markets and marketing exchange (Lee et al., 2007; February, 2004; Weinstein et al., 1984).
Researchers claim that the gap between the business and scientific worlds is closing fast with the brain sciences having made tremendous advances over the past couple of decades. It is evident that the idea of evaluating the neurological correlates of consumer behavior has caused considerable excitement within the marketing profession (Marketing Week, 2005; Mucha, 2005).
Neuromarketing uses the latest advances in brain scanning to learn more about the mental processes behind customer purchasing decisions. Beyond focus groups and questionnaires, neuro-marketing delves right into customer minds. The idea is that when the “buy” regions of the brain go into action, they draw a bigger blood supply to support their work, which shows up millisecond by millisecond on an fMRI scan (Witchalls, 2004). Companies have also recognised the value of using science to uncover the drivers of human behavior, but have yet to develop an effective model for predicting consumer behavior (News Wire, 2002).
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As a branch of cognitive neuroscience, neuromarketing relies heavily on the ability to visualise how the brain perceives choices and takes decisions. The technique also promises to provide snapshot images of brain activity at crucial moments of retail choice (Burne, 2003; Shah, 2005). When the brain’s medial prefrontal cortex lights up, indicating increased neural activity, advertisers know that the particular image displayed is a winner. Since this area of the brain reportedly represents an area associated with preferences or sense of self, product-associated images that are processed in this area are believed to be more likely to prompt purchases by consumers. Thus, if advertisers can discern which product images cause a response in the medial prefrontal cortex, they should be able to bolster sales (Cranston, 2004). Techniques used by neuroscience are: psychophysics (reaction times/detection levels), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) (Moore, 2005).
In terms of finding participants, although the technique itself is non-invasive, it does have a slightly negative reputation and this may impact on possible participation for market research studies (Moore, 2005). However, in neuromarketing studies, participants have generally viewed the fMRI experience positively, reporting that they “enjoyed taking part in the fMRI” found the procedure “interesting” and the technology “fascinating” (Senior et al., 2007).
The ethical use of neuromarketing is also an issue. Questions of whether neuromarketing is just a benign method of helping companies better understand customers' true desires while giving customers the power to influence companies should be addressed. It is also important to determine whether this method is a way of unconsciously suggesting the purchase of an otherwise unwanted item (Ziegenfuss, 2005). In addition to these reservations, the use of neuromarketing by companies that produce tobacco, alcohol, junk food or fast food could be damaging to public health (Ruskin, 2004). In addition, neuromarketing raises powerful ethical issues for children and adults (Acuff, 2005; Lawer, 2004). That is, in the minds of some, neuromarketing raises disturbing questions about the extent to which advertising agencies, market researchers and their clients should be allowed to invade the privacy of consumers. These medical experiments on human subjects are surely unethical, because they are likely to be used in a way that promotes disease and human suffering (www.actionscript .com, 2003).
In fact, despite the literature on the subject, we know very little about neuromarketing and its applications. There are four groups related with neuromareketing researches; marketing academicians, neurologists, marketing professionals and consumers. While first three groups are influencer, consumers are subjects to be influenced. The future of neuromarketing study depends on the interaction of these groups. Consumers are also important as much as other groups. Unless consumers accept to be participant in neuromarketing research other groups will not be able to conduct these researchers. Besides this consumers’ attitude also has a guiding role in the future of these studies.
In the light of above, the purpose of the study is to test cognitive dissonance theory on the consumer attitudes and behaviors about neuromarketing. The most applied form of cognitive dissonance theory is behavior that is inconsistent with attitudes (Brehm et al., 2005). In this sense, the hypothesis below is tested considering cognitive dissonance theory.
H1: Positive consumer attitudes to neuromarketing are inconsistent with the willingness participate in neuromarketing research.
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Methodology
In order to accomplish the study objectives, a questionnaire was developed from the literature. The soundness and appropriateness of the questions was reviewed by academics, neuroscientists and marketing managers. Specifically, the questionnaire was pre-tested on ten marketing academics, five neuroscientists and five marketing managers. The aim was to avoid misinterpretation of the statements and to identify other potential methodological problems. After making some minor modifications, the questionnaire was again pre-tested, and no further misunderstanding of the survey questions and statements was evident. After this pre-testing of the survey form, it was prepared in electronic format. The survey form contains 3 demographic and 15 neuromarketing-related questions. Respondents answer the questions in terms of whether they agree or disagree with each statement, using a five-point Likert scale, with responses ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree.
The sample groups were reached through the internet. The group was selected from Consumer Complaint Forum Group, as they are more conscious of consumer issues and rights than a conventional random sample. A purposive sampling method was used. Accordingly, 187 questionnaires were suitable for analysis. The profile characteristics of respondents can be seen in Table 1.
Table 1: Profile of Respondents
Consumers
(n=187)
Percent
Gender
Male
Female
Age
18-25
26-35
36-45
46-55
56 and more
Education
Primary Education
High School
Undergraduate
Graduate
46
54
32.3
40.3
21
4.8
1.6
1.1
2.7
73.1
23.1
Firstly, the means for the statements are examined in terms of the consumer perceptions they reveal. Appendix table shows mean scores of statements. While “unifying role of neuromarketing between marketing and medical sciences” statement has the highest mean (X=3.34), the lowest score is for “knowledge about neuromarketing research” statement has the lowest mean X=2.16).
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Furthermore, total mean scores were computed and put into an ANOVA analysis in order to determine the relationship to a set of demographic variables. The relationship was found to be statistically significant for the education and age variables. (p =.001, .025<.05). The differences were examined by a Post-Hoc Scheffe test. The values for undergraduates were lower than for graduates. However, this relationship does not hold for the age variable (see Table 2). There is no statistically significant relationship between neuromarketing perceptions and gender (p=.558>.05).
Table 2: Table of Anova Analysis and Scheffe Test Results For Neuromarketing Perception of Consumer and Education/Age Group
Dependent Variable
Groups
Mean
Significant Differences
F
p
High School
2.95
Undergraduate
2.49
Graduate
2.93
Undergraduate < Graduate
p= .002
7.355
.001
18-25
2.81
26-35
2.51
36-45
2.39
46-55
2.60
Neuromarketing Perception
56 and more
2.93
18-25>36-46
p= .071
2.85
.025
In order to test the hypothesis, the means for the attitude statements were computed and a paired samples test was applied between the total mean scores for attitude and behavior (Statement 7). The test result showed that there is a statistically significant negative correlation (-.241, .001<.05) and mean difference (3.25, 2.17, .000<.05) between the total mean scores for attitude and behavior. Therefore H1 is accepted.
DISCUSSION
As both a scientific and a research tool, neuromarketing is making rapid headway and will provide practicing marketers with new insights into the thought-process of the human mind, in terms of why and how it functions in different situations (Taher, 2006). In this context, it is important that market researchers keep in mind that various research issues are still in their infancy and that more basic research is necessary to facilitate an application of these techniques to marketing (Plassmann et. al., 2007).
The purpose of the present exploratory research was to examine the attitude of consumer’s to neuromarketing. The implication of the research is that consumers do have positives attitude to neuromarketing. However, their behavior (in the sense of being a participant in neuromarketing research) is not as positive as their attitude. Therefore, this result is supported by cognitive dissonance theory. This situation may be related to the generally low level of knowledge about neuromarketing research applications. For example, beliefs or misconceptions about the side effects of MR machines, such as radiation or claustrophobia, may explain the prevailing attitudes and behavioral dissonance. More knowledge about applications may reduce the dissonance between attitude and behavior. This possibility is supported by some of the results from the study, such as that knowledge about neuromarketing has the
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lowest mean of all the variables tested, and the positive statistical significance difference about neuromarketing perceptions between graduates and undergraduates.
Consequently, the future of neuromarketing studies depend not only on marketing academics, neurologists and marketing professionals, but also consumers as participants. This important or even vital role of consumers in neuromarketing studies should not be neglected. Consumers should be given adequate information about neuromarketing applications in order to convince them to participate in neuromarketing studies.
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Appendix Table : Statements for Consumers
No
Statemens
1
Awereness about neuromarketing concept
2
Knowledge of neuromarketing research
3
Neuromarketing is a new and more scientific way to research consumer-related issues
4
The unifying role of neuromarketing between marketing and medical science
5
Neuromarketing techniques are ethical
6
Convenience finding participants in neuromarketing research
7
Intention to include neuromarketing subject in research
8
Neuromarketing is not a manipulative way to sell unnecessary and/or unwanted goods and services.
9
Concern about including children as participants in neuromarketing research
10
Concern about including young people as participants in neuromarketing research
11
Concern about side effects of medical devices on participants in neuromarketing research
12
Exciting experience for participants
13
Interesting experience for participants
14
Concern about using neuromarketing results in marketing activities by firms
15
Not thinking private life intervention using neuromarketing results in marketing activities by firms

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