Psychology Chapter on Sensation and Stimuli

Defining Stimuli

• Stimuli are any changes in the environment that can be detected by our sensory organs.

Sensation Explained

• Sensation is the process of detecting stimuli from the environment and converting them into neural signals that travel to the brain.

Sensory Organs

• This question requires a list of sensory organs for comparison. Please provide that list so I can identify the incorrect option.

Responses to Stimuli

• Stimuli can elicit a wide variety of responses, ranging from simple reflexes to complex emotions and behaviors.

Stimuli & Sensation

• Sensation is the first step in our interaction with the world, allowing us to perceive and respond to stimuli.

Introduction to the Perceptual Process

• The perceptual process is how we select, organize, and interpret information about stimuli in the environment.
• Perception can be distorted and is subjective, leading to the idea that "perception is reality."

Exposure

• Placing a stimulus (product, brand, etc.) in the appropriate place to ensure consumer access is crucial.
• Consumer expectation plays a significant role in determining what they notice.
• Selective exposure occurs when consumers actively seek or avoid specific stimuli.
• Children are particularly susceptible to advertising, and strategies should be developed to reduce their vulnerabilities.

Selective Exposure & Perceptual Filters

• Values, goals, and current situations act as filters, influencing what we perceive.
• Perceptual Vigilance: We filter stimuli for relevance, making relevant stimuli more noticeable.
• Perceptual Defence: We filter out unpleasant or threatening stimuli.

Advertising Appeals

• Advertising appeals aim to make messages more interesting and relevant to increase effectiveness.
• Examples include: fear, humor, sex, rational, emotional, social, identity, scarcity, and nostalgia.
• Humor can be used to overcome perceptual defense mechanisms when attempting to change risky behaviors.

Sight

• Holds the largest proportion of human perception (80%).
• Visual cues like size, shape, color, and context are all important.
• Colors hold cultural meanings, creating emotional associations.
• Brand logos are essential for brand identity and should convey consistent messages.
• Logo changes can be used for strategic marketing shifts.
• Product placement should consider the perceptual fit of the brand with the target audience.

Sound

• Music in stores affects moods and can encourage spending.
• Music and dance are universal communication tools, not requiring translation.
• Brand names with sound repetition create positive feelings and increase purchase intentions.
• Alliteration in promotions enhances perceptions of deals and choice.

Smell

• Smells evoke emotions, especially connected to memory.
• Consumers anticipate specific fragrances from certain products.

Touch, Texture, and Weight

• Consumers want to touch products before purchasing.
• Weight is often used to communicate brand perceptions:
• Heavy: sturdy, solid, well-built, robust, powerful
• Light: flimsy, insubstantial, insufficient, frivolous

Taste

• Subjectivity exists in taste preferences.
• Food manufacturers should offer variety and conduct thorough taste-testing before market release.
• Flavor is a combination of taste, temperature, texture, expectations, and brand associations.
• Combinations of textures and flavors can stimulate the appetite, potentially leading to addiction and craving.

Sensory Thresholds

• Differential threshold is the point at which we notice a difference between two stimuli.
• Brand may avoid disclosing changes if they believe they are unnoticeable and might be perceived negatively.
• Shrinkflation is reducing the size of a product while keeping the price the same.
• Weber's law states that stronger initial stimuli require a bigger difference for change to be noticed.
• The Rule of 100: percentage discounts are more attractive than for products under $100.

Perceptual Maps

• Visual representations from the consumer's perspective of brands and their relationships with other brands.
• They show potential gaps in the market for new product development.
• They can show a company where its products stand compared to competitors, allowing managers to consider changes to their brand positioning.

Perceived Risk

• Consumers' subjective evaluations of uncertainty and negative consequences of a purchase or activity that influence decisions.
• Higher perceived risk if:
• There is a new offering to the market.
• Little information about the product or service
• Major differences among brands
• Limited consumer experience with the product
• The purchaser may be judged by others for the purchase decisions

Types of Perceived Risk

• Financial Risk: Perception of potential financial loss.
• Performance/Functional Risk: Perception of how well a product will perform its intended task.
• Physical Risk: Perception of harm that a product or service might cause.
• Social Risk: Perception of personal and social risks arising from a purchase.
• Psychological Risk: Perception of how a purchase reflects on oneself.
• Time Risk: Perception of losing time on buying or learning to use a product.

Price Perception

• Consumers often make quality assumptions based on price.
• The price of a product is influenced by the environment in which it is placed.
• Brand owners should ensure products are stocked in stores that match the price being charged.

Gestalt Principles

• Closure: Tendency to fill in missing elements of an incomplete picture.
• Similarity: Tendency to perceive similar things as being more related than dissimilar things.
• Proximity: Tendency to perceive things close together as more related than things that are far apart.
• Figure and Ground: Tendency to distinguish the prominent element as the figure and the context as the ground.

Test your knowledge on the concepts of sensation and stimuli in this psychology quiz. Explore key definitions, sensory organs, and the responses that stimuli can elicit. Perfect for students studying psychology and sensation.