Use Case | Consumer Behavior

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Consumer facing vending machines

Consumer Behavior | Use Case

Studying consumer behavior and decision making

Recent advancements in neuroscience and biomedical engineering techniques have made it possible to study consumer behavior. There is growing evidence that consumers value experience over product and services. Consumer experience (physiological and behavioral responses) is measured objectively by Electrodermal activity (EDA), Electrocardiography (ECG), Facial Electromyography (fEMG), etc. in response to emotional arousal by stimuli. The tonic background level of EDA is recorded as Skin Conductance Level (SCL). The effect of an emotional arousing stimulus (sensory domain, situational, thought) is recorded as phasic activity known as Skin Conductance Response (SCR). Similarly, attention and affective valence is studied using ECG and fEMG. The objective findings from physiological and behavioral recordings can help in creating better consumer campaigns.

The Challenge // Consumer Behavior

  • Capture emotional response objectively during studying consumer behavior
  • Physiological responses don’t reflect valence of emotions
  • Correlate physiological responses with subjective self-reports

The Research // Goals

  • Perform testing in real & virtual settings
  • Record objective physiological and subjective behavioral consumer experience
  • Record EDA and fEMG to estimate affective valence
  • Correlate attention with heart rate variability

The Solution // Technology

  • Record EDA to measure emotional activation in response to stimuli
  • Record surface fEMG from facial muscles to measure muscle activity
  • Measure heart rate variability (HRV) to analyze attention generated by viewing

The Results

  • Objective physiological measurements much better than conventional self-reporting (Questionnaires)
  • EDA responses objectively quantified physiological responses to differential stimuli perception by subjects
  • Activation of various facial muscles can quantify the differential consumer behavior

Benefits

  • Ensure product and messaging alignment
  • Test the consumer’s emotional response and align with the product and brand promise
  • Test the user experience with the messaging
  • Shelf visibility testing—in-store and virtual
Technology Options

Electrodermal Activity (EDA) indicates level of arousal

Facial Electromyography (fEMG)—corrugator and zygomaticus muscle activation indicate level of emotions

Heart rate variability (HRV) is related to level of attention

Related Use Cases

Consumer Product Development

Product Design

Usability Studies

Workspace design

Other Industries

Consumer Electronics

Consumer Packaged Goods

Selected Citations

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