What is consumer psychology?
The term consumer psychology refers to the study of how people relate to the goods and services they use in their daily lives. Consumer psychology, also known as the study of consumers' behavior, provides opportunities to explore problems such as factors that are most important when people decide to buy a specific item, as customers determine the value of the service and whether television and magazines can persuade the unwilling consumers to first try a new product. Consumer psychology seeks to describe and explain the behavior of consumers, although some consumer psychologists try to predict or influence the customer's decision.
The discipline of psychology of consumers hardly draws on marketing, advertising, economics, anthropology, social psychology and cognitive psychology. However, consumer psychology has been recognized since World War II as its own area of study. One of the first known consumer psychologists was John B. Watson,The man who suggested that Johnson & Johnson's child powder advertisements were structured to gently play the anxiety and uncertainty that new mothers commonly feel. His technique of recognizing the emotional attraction of advertising today remains the cornerstone of the psychology of consumer.
As well as any other discipline, consumers' psychology has several possible areas of specialization. Some consumer psychologists study the impact of advertising or packaging of products on consumer purchase decisions. Others focus on their research on how marriage, parenting and other important life phases affect consumer behavior. Psychology of price or as determined by the perceived value of the item is another popular specialty in the field of consumer psychology.
Consumer psychologists can be researchers, educators, consultants, managers and politicians. Bachelor's degree in consumerPsychology prepares you for basic jobs with advertising agencies, research companies, government institutions and private corporations that want to learn more about how customers communicate with a particular product. However, the postgraduate title in marketing, management or advertising is often necessary than expected to proceed in the field.
Career opportunities in consumers' psychology offer a chance to communicate with different people while applying solutions to problems and creative thinking to a number of tasks. A typical day working in the field of consumer psychology includes brainstorming, research data analysis, reporting and meeting with clients. However, the risk of burnout is relatively high, as most experts are expected to operate a large number of overtime when the employer is preparing to start the product.