The 3 Deciding Factors

There are three categories of consumer decision making: cognitive, habitual, and affective. The amount of thought we put into product purchasing varies widely from consumer to consumer. The way that we evaluate and and choose products depends on the degree of novelty or risk relation to the decision. Some purchases are an automatic occurrence, while others consider great thought and are far and few between.

Example of a cognitive purchase decision:

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A cognitive purchase is deliberate, rational, and sequential. The purchase of a television set is usually one that is thought out, informed, and for reason.

Example of a habitual purchase decision:

A habitual purchase is one of habit. It is behavioral, unconscious, and automatic. There is low consumer involvement. If bread, milk, and eggs are a staple on your grocery list you will purchase them frequently with not much regard. 

Image courtesy of  Robin Miller Cooks

Example of an affective purchase decision:

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Affective purchases are emotional and instantaneous. A consumer could pass an ice cream store, they could associate ice cream with happiness, and purchase a cone to fulfill that emotion.

Fear Based Marketing - Does it work?

Marketers used fear-based advertising to provoke a feeling in consumers, to sway them towards a perspective of thinking, whether it be positive or negative. Using the attitude toward the act of buying model, rather than the attitude toward the product itself, marketers can focus on a particular perceived consequence (or lack there of) a purchase of a product.

Image courtesy of Asia Injury Prevention Foundation

Image courtesy of WWF.org

This image, taken from the text is

trying to persuade consumers to wear

a helmet when riding a bike or motorcycle, 

an easily preventable injury with severe

 consequences. This "what-if" tactic 

triggers a response emotion in consumers.

Trees are the lungs of the Earth, they provide oxygen and are essential to survival. The WWF is showing that we are slowly eating away at the organs of mother earth, encouraging consumers to go green.





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A popular fear-based ad campaign is the anti-smoking ads. Smoking has been on the overall decline since the 60's, and between adults and students since the mid-90's.

Image courtesy of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Cigarette warning labels were introduced in the 60's, hence the reason for the sharp decline. Anti-cigarette ads would be a prime example of how marketing can sway opinions and expose the harmfulness that smoking entails.

Image courtesy of thetruth.com