Brain Hype or Bust? Why Consumer Neuroscience is Failing Marketers
Psych 🧠 - 334/500
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What is it?
While these methods hold significant potential for understanding consumer behavior, the authors argue that "consumer neuroscience" hasn't lived up to its promise in the marketing literature.
They identify three main reasons for this:
Conflating neural markers with psychological constructs: Mistaking brain activity for psychological processes without acknowledging different levels of analysis.
Overly narrow focus on brain imaging: Neglecting other valuable physiological measures like heart rate, skin conductance, and facial expressions.
Accessibility challenges: Lack of training and resources for consumer researchers to adopt these methods.
Major findings:
Consumer neuroscience publications are limited: Despite its potential, there are relatively few publications in top marketing journals utilizing neural or physiological measures.
Different levels of analysis are crucial: The authors advocate for a multi-level approach, adapting Marr's framework of functional, algorithmic, and implementation levels to understand consumer behavior more holistically.
Neurobiological measures can capture unique insights: These methods can uncover hidden processes, measure implicit reactions, identify individual differences, and provide continuous data on dynamic experiences.
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What do I need to know:
This paper offers a critical yet optimistic perspective on the future of consumer neuroscience.
Consumer neuroscience holds significant potential, but its implementation needs to be more nuanced and strategic.
Understanding different levels of analysis is crucial for connecting brain and body data to psychological constructs and consumer behavior.
A wider range of methods, beyond brain imaging, can offer valuable insights into consumer experiences.
Collaborations and training opportunities are essential for making consumer neuroscience more accessible to marketing researchers.
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