Consumer neuroscience for marketing researchers

TLDR

Consumer neuromarketing research has traditionally relied on fMRI, but rapid advances and lower costs are making EEG, eye tracking, and implicit measures increasingly popular, yet the literature lacks a comprehensive evaluation of the relative merits and appropriateness of these neuroscience, physiological, and biometric tools. This paper offers the first comprehensive review of all relevant consumer neuroscience techniques, explaining their functions and utility for different types of marketing research. The authors analyze each neuromarketing tool’s strengths and weaknesses relative to specific research questions and highlight key papers and authors for further study. Many peer‑reviewed consumer neuroscience articles provide only brief summaries of the functions of the techniques they employ.

Abstract

Abstract Purpose For many consumer neuromarketing researchers, the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging has been the most preferred neuroscience technique. However, electroencephalography, eye tracking, and implicit measurements are becoming increasingly popular market research methods due to rapid technological improvements and reduced costs. Design This article is an overview of the most commonly used consumer neuroscience techniques in marketing research. Findings Many peer‐reviewed journal articles in the consumer neuroscience literature usually provide only a brief summary of the actual functions of each neuroscience technique used in their research. Throughout the consumer neuroscience and marketing research literature, there is a lack of comprehensive evaluation of the relative merits of all neuroscience research tools. There is no rigorous analysis of the relative appropriateness of all the neuroscience, physiological, and biometric research tools currently used in consumer neuroscience market research. Originality/value This is the first paper that provides a comprehensive review of all relevant neuroscience techniques with a proper explanation of their functions and utility for different types of research. Each individual neuromarketing research tools' strengths and weaknesses are analysed for particular types of marketing research questions and highlights some of the key research papers and authors for interested researchers to follow up.