Introduction
This report concisely introduces cognitive psychology and the way in which consumers use cognition during pre-purchase situations, when comparing alternative brands or products, to ultimately satisfy a need. Following this, the report explores the theory of cognitive dissonance and its impact on post-purchase evaluation.
An introduction to cognitive psychology
A.Balota and J.Marsh (2004:1) outline that the word cognitive derives from the Latin word cognare, meaning, “to know.” Although experimental psychologists have studied related issues to cognitive psychology for well over a century, A.Balota and J.Marsh (2004:1), the beginnings of modern cognitive psychology begun nearly 50 years ago, when people begun to take a huge interest in the cognitive approach to human behaviour of knowing and thought, H.Ashcraft (2002:2).
H.Ashcraft (2002:2) considers the memory and cognition to be the mental events and knowledge we use when we recognise an object, remember a name, have an idea or solve a problem. Understandably, A.Balota and J.Marsh (2004:1) outline that cognitive psychologists are particularly interested in the processes by which people do this, and the way that patterns and objects are recognised, attended, remembered, imagined and verbally elaborated.
Cognition and consumer decision making
Baker (1999:109) suggests that consumer decision making is commonly described as a cognitive process. A consumer purchase is commonly a response to a problem, which arises when the consumer initially becomes aware of a need or a want. Consumers require adequate information to resolve the problem and ultimately satisfy the need. At this point, consumers engage in information search, and Solomon (1999:274) explains that information sources can be broken down into two kinds: internal and external. External information may be obtained from advertisements,