Page 47 - Decoding Decisions ~ Making sense of the messy middle

4

Influencing the

messy middle

The next stage of our research involved taking what we’d learned from our
literature reviews, Google Trends data, and shopping observations, and applying
it in an experimental setting. Over the course of 310,000 simulated purchase
scenarios, we tested the impact that various behavioural biases can have on

shoppers’ brand preferences.

Homo-not-so-economicus

As theories about “economic man” have given way to metaphors about riders and
elephants, it would seem that most behavioural scientists now agree that, in

reality, our decision-making apparatus comprises both reason and emotion.

Even a seemingly functional, low‑cost

purchase like buying a favourite

shampoo can be prompted by emotional

or rational considerations.