MRK 3481 Consumer Psychology

MRK 3481 Consumer Psychology

Course code: 
MRK 3481
Department: 
Marketing
Credits: 
7.5
Course coordinator: 
Nina Helene Vogt
Course name in Norwegian: 
Forbrukerpsykologi
Product category: 
Bachelor
Portfolio: 
Bachelor of Marketing Management - Programme Courses
Semester: 
2025 Spring
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Bachelor
Teaching language: 
Norwegian
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

Knowledge of consumer psychology is essential for companies, public institutions and non-profit organizations to succeed in their marketing and thus achieve their strategic goals. The course gives you a basic introduction to the subject of consumer psychology, where emphasis is placed on factors that control and influence consumer behaviour, and how the marketer can take advantage of these. Topics such as sustainable consumption, technology, social psychology and behavioral economics are central. In addition, the course aims to survey conditions surrounding the need for goods and services and the decision-making process behind the purchase of a good or service. A central part of the course is about how you can use consumer data for increased customer insight in marketing. Emphasis is also placed on having a critical eye on how knowledge of consumer psychology is applied in practice.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

The student must:

• Have insight into how consumer information can be used in marketing

• Have broad knowledge of which factors influence a consumer's behaviour

• Have knowledge of sustainable consumption

• Have knowledge of how technology is used and influences consumer behaviour

Learning outcomes - Skills

The student must have the ability to:

• Apply consumer insights to influence consumer behaviour

• Assess and apply relevant data to prepare measures to influence consumer behaviour

General Competence

The student must:

• Reflect and propose measures for more sustainable consumption

• Understand the interaction between consumer-oriented marketing and society as a whole

• Reflect on various ethical dilemmas related to how consumer psychology can be used to influence consumers' decisions

Course content
  1. What is consumer psychology?
  2. Segmentation and target groups
  3. The consumer's decision-making
  4. Habitual choices and nudging
  5. Motivation
  6. Emotions and rationality
  7. Technology and consumer behaviour
  8. Sustainable consumption
  9. Personality and influence on behaviour
  10. Perception and sensory marketing (art. on sensing?)
  11. Consumer education
  12. Shape and change consumer attitudes
  13. Social class, culture and reference groups
  14. Negative consumer behavior and ethics                                                       
Teaching and learning activities

The course is conducted with a combination of lectures, webinars and activities in the learning platform. Throughout the course, students will practice applying theories within consumer psychology related to practical cases.

In addition, material will be made available to help students prepare for the exam. The resource will contain podcasts, exam papers, tests, cases, videos, etc.

E-Learning

Where the course is delivered as an online course, the lecturer will, in collaboration with the study administration, arrange an appropriate combination of digital learning resources and activities. These activities will correspond to the stated number of teaching hours delivered on campus. Online students are also offered a study guide that will provide an overview of the course and contribute to course progression. The total time students are expected to spend completing the course also applies to online studies.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Additional information

Re-sit exam:

Students who do not get the work requirement approved in the course are not allowed to take the exam. This means that they must take the entire course again when completing it later.

Students who do not pass the written exam or who wish to improve their grade can take a new continuation exam when the exam is completed later.

Reservation:

Deviations in teaching and examination forms may occur if external framework conditions or unforeseen events indicate this.

Required prerequisite knowledge

None.

Mandatory courseworkCourseworks givenCourseworks requiredComment coursework
Mandatory 3 2Three work requirements. Two out of three must be approved to be allowed to sit for the exam. • AK1: Case-activity • AK2: MC-test • AK3: MC-test
Mandatory coursework:
Mandatory coursework:Mandatory
Courseworks given: 3
Courseworks required: 2
Comment coursework:Three work requirements. Two out of three must be approved to be allowed to sit for the exam. • AK1: Case-activity • AK2: MC-test • AK3: MC-test
Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
School Exam
Form of assessment: 
Structured Test
Exam/hand-in semester: 
First Semester
Weight: 
100
Grouping: 
Individual
Support materials: 
  • No support materials
Duration: 
3 Hour(s)
Comment: 
The exam consists of two components, an MC test where the student will be tested in the course's curriculum literature and reflection questions related to a case.
Three-hour, individual, school exam, No aids allowed
Exam code: 
MRK 34811
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination every semester
Type of Assessment: 
Ordinary examination
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
34 Hour(s)
Webinar
2 Hour(s)
Digital resources
  • Test with automatic feedback
10 Hour(s)
Student's own work with learning resources
154 Hour(s)
Sum workload: 
200

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 7,5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 200 hours.