Mirror-Mirror: How Can We Better Understand Our Consumption Behavior? Reflective Thinking, Writing and Imagery as Tools to Better Understand Abstract Marketing Concepts

Abstract

Many important marketing concepts, especially those related to understanding consumer behavior, are abstract concepts grounded in cognitive and social psychology. Many of these critical concepts such as self-image, personality, social self, and role influence can be challenging to demonstrate in predictive and/or representative models, computer simulations, and within the application of client-based projects. Naturally, it is also challenging to engage students in active learning methodologies conveying these abstract concepts. This is troubling given the pronounced influence of these important constructs on consumer decision-making. This paper introduces an exercise used within Principles of Marketing courses at two different universities, and discusses anecdotal feedback on its usefulness as an active learning tool to engage students with abstract marketing concepts.