Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019
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Date of Graduation
Spring 2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
Department
Department of Marketing
Advisor(s)
William Val Larsen
Abstract
Anytime the human mind makes a decision, intuitive thought has played a hidden role. There is more to consumer decision making than just logical, slow cognition. Exploring the intuitive mind through the works of Johnathan Haidt and Daniel Kahneman helps researchers understand the roles and origins of intuition. Proof of the presence and power of intuitive thought in cognitive processes is offered. A subset of the intuitive mind, termed the righteous mind by Haidt, is shown to be responsible for moral intuition. As the role of intuitive thought in consumer decision making is considered, numerous marketing applications are applied. Whether it is termed rapid cognition, the adaptive unconscious, System 1, or a gut feeling, intuition is vastly important and largely mysterious; it plays a much larger role than most people think. Reasons for decisions are often not reasons at all. They are merely logical justifications for the answer, which was initially offered through silent intuition. The degree upon which intuition, including moral intuition, is at play depends on a variety of factors, such as the significance of the decision and an individual’s culture, political affiliation, environment, and beliefs. There remains a question left largely unanswered by marketers: “How can I make a connection between my brand, product, or service and my consumer’s intuition?”
Recommended Citation
Moore, Morgan M., "Intuitive thought and consumer decision making" (2015). Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019. 74.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/74
