Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Quirk’s Research Industry Voices on January 11, 2011
Subconscious buying behavior, or the initial point of entry into a consumer’s thoughts before provoking them to purchase, is typically triggered by a combination of perception and emotional response. We have observed this type of behavior consistently in our eye-tracking research. Although most people offer rational reasons for why they select an item (replacing something after running out, friend and family recommendations, on-sale, brand loyalty), the truth is that the majority of purchase decisions aren’t quite so logical. Here are six key terms that will help you understand how decisions are made and how you can harness this information when conducting research to improve your brand performance.
1. The subconscious mind
The word subconscious literally means below awareness. This level of the mind is not well defined or understood but it has tremendous power over human perception and behavior. Almost all brain activity takes place on the subconscious level. Estimates vary but perhaps a mere 10 percent of information reaches the conscious mind. As Freud put it, “The conscious mind may be compared to a fountain playing in the sun and falling back into the great subterranean pool of subconscious from which it rises.”
One of the toughest parts about assessing the subconscious is that the moment a thought is actively considered, it is no longer subconscious but rather conscious. You cannot rely on someone remembering something to understanding the subconscious. However, when it comes to visual attention, you can use eye-tracking.
Read the rest at Quirk’s Research Industry Voices