Cognitive Approach to Consumer Behaviour

The cognitive approach to consumer behaviour perceives individuals as ‘information processors’ (Ribeaux and Poppleton, 1978) acknowledging the impact of environment and social experience in the processing of information. The development of cognitive psychology in general is credited with the introduction of Stimulus-Organism-Response model by Hebb in 1950s.

According to Stimulus-Organism-Response model there is a linear relationship between the impact of stimuli on inactive organism, and as a result of the impact the organism responses in a certain manner (Cziko, 2000). However, this model has been subjected to criticism, notably by Tyagi (2004) and Kahle and Close (2006), and the criticism relates to the idea that Stimulus-Organism-Response model does not take into account the past experiences of the organism.

References 

Cziko, G. (2000) “The Things We Do: Using the Lessons of Bernard and Darwin to Understand the What, How, and Why of Our Behaviour” Massachusets, MIT Press

Kahle L.R. and Close, A. (2006) “Consumer Behaviour Knowledge for Effective Sports and Event Marketing”, Taylor & Francis, New York, USA