Drivers and Human Psyche, Essay Example

Psyche is the human mind or soul. It is the human personality that influences the way he/she behaves and how he makes decisions, for example emotions. Psyche is natural i.e. inbuilt or internal factors that influence human behavior. On the other hand, drivers are external factors that influence the consumer behavior regarding what to buy. An example of the psyche drivers would include the knowledge that a consumer gathers through reading an advert. Other drivers include social and cultural, personal and psychological factors (Boney-McCoy & Finkelhor, 2005).

Consumer thought about buying behavior drivers vs. what they really know

Once the consumer recognizes a need, he goes on to look for information regarding how to satisfy the need, and hence make a purchase. He/she goes on to evaluate the various purchase options available to him/her. The consumer then finally makes the final decision to buy the product based on the information acquired. However , consumers may think that they have perfect information regarding a product which might not always be the case as may be confirmed by a consumer’s post purchase behavior; where a consumer may regret about a purchase decision they made. This is because the buying behavior is influenced by other external factors such as culture, religion, status, advertisements, and other people like friends and family members. This source of information could at times be biased, and hence there is always a difference between the amount of information the consumer thinks he knows and what he actually knows (Kelly, 2006).

Complexity of consumer psyche

Though the consumers psyche is obviously complex, it can be understood in actionable terms by marketing professionals. They should make deliberate efforts to understand the consumers buying behavior and what influences their buying decisions. In so doing, the marketer can be able to make more sales and respond to consumers needs better (Eric, 2006; Hill & Jones, 2007).

References

Boney-McCoy, S. & Finkelhor, D. (2005). Psychosocial sequelae of violent victimization in a national youth sample. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 63(5), 726-736.

Eric, V. (2006). Consumer buying behavior. Review article in consumer psychology, 78(5), 22-35.

Hill, H.M. & Jones, L.P. (2007). Children’s and parents’ perceptions of children’s exposure to violence in urban neighborhoods. Journal of the National Medical Association, 89(4), 270-276.

Kelly, J.G. (2006). An Ecological Paradigm: Defining Mental Health Consultation as a Preventive Service. Prevention in Human Services, 4:1–36.