Question

Define perceptual selection and describe the types of filters that prevent clear perception and the reception of marketing stimuli.

Answer 1

Perceptual selection refers to the phenomenon in which people attend to only a small portion of stimuli to which they are exposed. In any situation, people filter out the less significant information or irrelevant details so that they can concentrate on the critical aspects of that situation.

Based on the past experiences of an individual, the perceptual filters influence his decision-making. For example, perceptual vigilance occurs because consumers are more likely to be aware of stimuli that relate to their current needs. The opposite aspect of perceptual vigilance is perceptual defense. Perceptual defense refers to the phenomenon under which people see what they want to see and don't see or ignore what they don't want to see. Adaptation is nothing but the degree to which customers continue to notice or consider a stimulus over time. Factors that influence a consumer’s adaptation are discrimination, duration, exposure, intensity and relevance.