NA_PsyCB Psychology of Consumer Behavior

University of Finance and Administration
Summer 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Guaranteed by
Mirela Moldoveanu, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Subdepartment of Social Sciences – Department of Social Sciences – Departments – University of Finance and Administration
Contact Person: Dita Egertová
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
At the end of the course students should be able to understand and explain marketing theories and basic concepts related to consumer behaviour. The course will introduce to students factors influencing the process of consumer behaviour, as well as the evolution of individual and group decision-making processes. The students will be able to understand of role salesperson and customer in shopping situation, and the use of methods of market research to analyse consumer behaviour. The discipline Psychology of Consumer Behaviour is based on knowledge from personality psychology, and it is designed as a practical extension of marketing. This discipline allows us to understand the complex behaviour of consumer in various settings, with its myriad of causes, influential factors, and potential consequences. The lectures provide knowledge on basic psychological characteristics of humans, with their common cognitive functions, such as perception, attention, memory, etc. At the same time, the course links this basic psychological knowledge on human behaviour with consumer behaviour, with its range of motivators across the last two centuries and its impact on our economy and society as a whole.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students should be able to understand and explain marketing theories and basic concepts related to consumer behaviour. The students will be able to understand of role salesperson and customer in shopping situation, and the use of methods of market research to analyse consumer behaviour. This discipline allows us to understand the complex behaviour of consumer in various settings, with its myriad of causes, influential factors, and potential consequences. The lectures provide knowledge on basic psychological characteristics of humans, with their common cognitive functions, such as perception, attention, memory, etc. At the same time, the course links this basic psychological knowledge on human behaviour with consumer behaviour, with its range of motivators across the last two centuries and its impact on our economy and society as a whole.
Syllabus
  • 1. Subject and development of market psychology. Development trends of the subject and significant representatives. 2. The economic behaviour of consumers, producers and sellers. The social context of the market sphere and the socio-psychological aspects of the 21st century market. 3. Marketing environment. The impact of globalisation and social transformation on target groups. Basic psychological characteristics of target groups in terms of developmental and social psychology (men, women, children, the elderly ...). 4. Personality and shopping behaviour. Diversity of customers and personality features of purchasing behaviour. Identification of the personality type of the customer. 5. Consumer decision making process. Psychological mechanisms making purchasing decisions. Purchasing behaviour model - entry, process, exit. 6. Shopping and consumer habits, place of sale, purchase terms. 7. Shopping theory. Theory in the shopping experience (conditioning, observational theory etc.). 8. Customer attitude, formation and change. Psychological aspects of attitude. Factors influencing attitudes. Strategies to change customer attitude. 9. The process of perception and its importance for effective marketing communication. 10. Consumer motivation. Needs, types of needs and the hierarchy of needs. Rational versus emotional motives. Uncovering customer purchase motivations. 11. Communication and purchase behaviour. Psychological relationships in the rules and ways of communicating with the customer. The psychological dimension of personal selling and building customer relationships. 12. Emotions in marketing, the importance of emotions in the marketing mix.
Literature
    required literature
  • GRAVES, Philip. Consumerology : The Truth About Consumers and the Psychology of Shopping. Nicholas Bearley Publishing, 2013, 288 p. ISBN 978-185-7885-767
    recommended literature
  • CLOSE, Angeline. Online consumer behavior: theory and research in social media, advertising, and e-tail. New York: Routledge, 2012, xxxiii, 366 p. ISBN 978-184-8729-698
  • Kotler, Philip, Principles of marketing :global edition /Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Pearson, 720 pages, 21 Mar 2013, ISBN: 978-0-273-78699-3
  • Lynn R. Kahle, Chris Riley: Sports marketing and the psychology of marketing communication. Mahwah,N.J.: L. Erlbaum Associates, c2004. ISBN: 0-8058-5790-7
  • Mooij, Marieke de, Global marketing and advertising :understanding cultural paradoxes /Marieke de Mooij, SAGE Publications, Inc; 4 edition (September 11, 2013), 416 pages, ISBN: 978-1-4522-5717-4
  • Reid Hastie, Robyn M. Dawes: Rational choice in an uncertain world: the psychology of judgement and decision making. 2nd Edition, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-4129-5903-2.
  • Shimp, Terence A. Advertising, promotion, and other aspects of integrated marketing communications /Terence A. Shimp, J. Craig Andrews, Published by Cengage Learning, ©2013, 752 pages, ISBN: 978-1-133-19142-1
Teaching methods
Classes will be held on the basis of interactive lectures, in which the theory will be supplemented by practical examples, analyzing and interpreting scientific articles from foreign periodicals, as well as an emphasis on the presentation of results of business cases. Students will not only learn a foreign language and technical terminology, but also demonstrate the ability of its use. The lessons will have a lecturing part (theory, new knowledge including practical examples) and a practical part (reading economical/business articles and their brief interpretation to ensure understanding the expert text, it’s interpretation and possibly to defend the standpoint).
Assessment methods
The course NA_PsyCB is completed by earning the credit to sit the exam, and with the final EXAM. The type of examination (oral or written) is set and announces in due time before the end of the semester. Before the exam, each student has to create a paper/case study, which should be submitted by a student in written form (minimum 6 normo-pages + lit.sources quotations list) to earn the course credit (Z).
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 16 hodin KS/semestr.
Teacher's information
Active participation in lectures, 75% of presence and an individual involvement during lectures. Consultation with the lecturer are possible upon prior agreement.
The course is also listed under the following terms summer 2012, Summer 2013, Summer 2014, Summer 2015, Summer 2016, Summer 2017, Summer 2018, Summer 2019, Summer 2020, Summer 2021, Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024.
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