Consumer Perception

Perception is the way how people select, organize, and interpret stimuli into a meaningful and coherent picture of the world. Two individuals may recognize, select, organize and interpret the same stimuli in different ways based on each individual's own experience, values, and expectations. Understanding perception is a vital component of marketing knowledge because consumers’ decision-making is highly influenced by the way they perceive rather than the objective reality. Perception starts from the sensation which is the reception and response to external stimuli.  In a marketing context, a stimulus may be products, packages, brand names, advertisements, and commercials. Sensory receptors are the sensorial human organs such as the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin.

The similarity of consumers’ expectations and motives with the stimulus itself determines the level of consumers’ acceptance of stimuli from the environment.  People usually perceive things they need and ignore unnecessary stimuli.

The process of perception

The different stages of the perceptual process are:

1. Receiving

The process of perception starts with an object in the real world which is known as the distal stimulus.

Through the means of light, sound, smell, taste, and touch the object stimulates the body's sensory organs; eye, ear, nose, mouth, and skin.

2. Selecting

A person doesn’t receive the data randomly but selectively. A person selects some information according to the interest or needs which are influenced by:

External factors such as intensity, size, repetition, familiarity, novelty, etc.

Internal factors such as psychological requirements, learning, background, experience, and interest.

3. Organizing

The sensory organs transform the input energy into neural activity which is known as transduction.

The neural signals are transmitted to the brain and processed. The information is synchronized and organized to make sense of the data received by grouping them on the basis of their similarity, proximity, closure, and continuity.

4. Interpreting

A mental re-creation of the stimulus known as ‘the percept’ is happened to give meaning to the stimulus.  

Factors influencing perception:

1. Characteristics of the Perceiver

They are needs and motives, self-concepts, past experience, current psychological state, beliefs, expectations, situation, and cultural upbringing

2. Characteristics of the Perceived: Characteristics of the Perceived include physical characteristics such as appearances, age, gender, manner of communication as well as personality traits, other forms of behavior, and the status or occupation of a person

3. Characteristics of the Situation

Example: The interpretation of the following images may be different for different individuals influenced by various factors.

Gestalt Law:

Gestalt principles or laws are rules that describe how the human eye perceives visual elements. The Gestalt principles are:

1. Principle of similarity: Items of the same size, shape, or quality are more likely to be reviewed as a group or pattern than similar elements.

2. Principle of proximity: Items that are closed together tend to be grouped in our perceptions.

3. Principle of continuity: the natural opposition to break the continuous flow of line, pattern, or design in our perceptual awareness.

4. Principle of closure: a strong inclination to perceive objects as unified wholes

The low of the common region: the elements that are grouped together within the same region of space tend to be grouped together.

5. The principle of the common region: the elements that are grouped together within the same region of space tend to be grouped together.

6. Law of Pragnanz: It refers to the tendency of people to interpret objects in the simplest way when some elements are presented which can be interpreted in different ways. 

According to the principles of Gestalt psychology, Consumers organize their perceptions into unified wholes: figure and ground, grouping, and closure. People try to organize pieces of sensory input into a complete image or feeling. Thus, if they perceive a stimulus is incomplete, they feel compelled to figure out its full meaning.

Consumer imagery

Consumers perceive images of products and brands. The perceived image of a product or service is more important than its actual physical characteristics. The main elements of consumers’ perceptions of brands are packaging, services, prices, quality, retail outlet, and manufacturer.

Self-image

Self-image is the way people perceive themselves. Self-perceptions of oneself are connected to purchases of products and services. Consumers have multiple “selves” as people act differently in various situations such as at school, at work, at home, and at clubs. Consumers frequently try to preserve, enhance, alter, or extend their self-images by purchasing brands that appeal to their self-image. Four components of self-image are (1) actual self-image, (2) ideal self-image, (3) social self-image, and (4) ideal social self-image. Marketers design effective promotional messages targeting various dimensions of self-image.

Positioning and Repositioning

Positioning is the process of creating a distinct image and identity for the products, services, and brands in consumers’ minds. The result of effective positioning is the creation of a unique perception of the product in the minds of consumers. Repositioning is the process of changing the distinct image and identity that its products, services, and brands occupy in consumers’ minds intentionally.