Consumer Behavior & Trends Flashcards
7 cards from real CMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Consumer Behavior & Trends flashcards as text
A consumer who purchases organic food primarily to signal virtue to their social circle is exhibiting which behavior?
Answer: Conspicuous virtue signaling
Conspicuous virtue signaling occurs when consumers make purchases that publicly display their ethical or moral values to enhance social image.
Which research method is MOST effective for uncovering latent consumer needs that customers themselves cannot articulate?
Answer: Ethnographic observation
Ethnographic observation studies consumers in their natural environment, revealing unconscious behaviors and unspoken needs that self-report methods miss.
The 'mere exposure effect' in consumer psychology suggests that:
Answer: Repeated exposure to a brand increases consumer liking of it
The mere exposure effect shows that familiarity breeds positive affect—consumers tend to prefer brands or products they have been repeatedly exposed to.
A market analyst identifies a trend where consumers increasingly prefer experiences over physical goods. This is known as:
Answer: The experiential economy
The experiential economy describes the growing consumer preference for experiences (travel, dining, events) over material possessions as sources of satisfaction.
Which segmentation variable would BEST help a market analyst understand why two consumers with identical demographics make very different purchase decisions?
Answer: Psychographic segmentation
Psychographic segmentation captures values, lifestyles, and personality traits that explain behavioral differences among demographically similar consumers.
When a consumer sees a product priced at $4.99 as significantly cheaper than $5.00, marketers call this:
Answer: Psychological pricing / charm pricing
Psychological pricing (charm pricing) exploits the left-digit effect where consumers perceive $4.99 as meaningfully cheaper than $5.00 due to digit processing.
Which of the following trends BEST describes the post-pandemic consumer shift toward local and independent businesses?
Answer: Localism and community commerce
Localism reflects consumers' renewed interest in supporting neighborhood businesses, driven by community identity and supply chain disruption awareness.