Consumer Psychology and Marketing Research (387-0-25)

Instructors

Ginger Pennington
847/467-3041
Swift Hall, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston
Office Hours: By Appointment

Meeting Info

Online: Tues, Thurs 3:00PM - 6:00PM

Overview of class

Course description:
In this course, you'll learn about the psychological strategies that marketers use to influence consumers. You'll discover why certain products catch your attention, how brand associations form, and what motivates people to choose one product over another. Importantly, you'll develop practical research skills highly valued in business, non-profit, and academic settings. By conducting your own research on a consumer psychology puzzle throughout the quarter, you'll experience firsthand how psychological insights can inform marketing practice. You will learn both qualitative techniques (like interviews and observations) and quantitative methods (like experiments) to uncover the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that drive consumer decisions.
This course satisfies the upper-level research course requirement for the Psychology major.

Teaching Method:
This class meets from 3 - 6 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sessions will be primarily synchronous, involving a mix of lecture, discussions, activities, and research workshops. Some class sessions will include an hour of group break-outs or asynchronous components (videos, activities).
Your grade will be based on active participation in class, weekly reflections, and a multi-stage project (qualitative and secondary research, and an experimental study proposal). You must attend class live via Zoom in order to earn credit for in-class assignments and discussions.

Prerequisite: 301 Research Methods

Assigned Readings
Instead of a textbook, this course uses a variety of materials including chapters from contemporary books, academic articles, and industry reports. Most readings will be available on the course website. Students only need to purchase or ensure access to: Barden, P. (2022, 2nd ed.). Decoded: The Science Behind What We Buy. Wiley. (Can be accessed through NU library for 7-hour digital loans for purchased for approximately $13 from Vital Source or other retailers.)
The remainder of the readings include selections from:
• Academic journals (e.g., Journal of Consumer Psychology, Frontiers in Psychology, etc.)
• Business/practitioner publications (e.g., Harvard Business Review)
• Selections from academic texts (e.g., Kimmel's Psychological Foundations of Marketing, Babin's Essentials of Marketing Research)
• Industry reports and white papers (from research firms such as Qualtrics and McKinsey)
• Selected case studies & materials from library resources (e.g., Mintel, WARC)

Class Attributes

Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area
Prerequisites apply, see description
Synchronous:Class meets remotely at scheduled time

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: Students must complete Psych 301-0 before taking this course.