INSTRUMENTAL LEARNING: ITS APPLICATION TO CONSUMER SATISFACTION

Abstract

When modern‐day students of marketing turned from the economic explanation of consumer behavior, learning theory was one of the first resources in which they sought more useful alternative concepts. This was a logical move for two reasons: because of the abundance of research conducted in psychology and social psychology; and because learning is close to the central interest of many of those concerned with consumer behavior. However, marketing scholars have given little consideration to one of the most influential perspectives developed in psychology‐the instrumental‐learning approach stimulated by the work of B. F. Skinner. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of instrumental learning and demonstrate its application in a marketing situation.

Citation

Bergiel, B.J. and Trosclair, C. (1985), "INSTRUMENTAL LEARNING: ITS APPLICATION TO CONSUMER SATISFACTION", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 2 No. 4, pp. 23-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb008141