Research Looks At Decision-Making Process Behind Consumer Spending

RANCHO CUCAMONGA (CBSLA.com) — "I spend more than I probably should."

Lena Press, like many of us, buys things she wants but doesn't particularly need.

"I can't seem to be OK with the things that I have, and constantly need to purchase new things to feel better."

She wants jeans, sweaters, new shoes...

"I actually purchase all sorts of different stuff. We take the dog to the park and I think, 'I need a blanket.' So, I go on Amazon and I buy a blanket for the park."

Press, a graduate student in economics at Claremont University, wanted to better understand the decision-making process behind her shopping habit.

She signed up as a test subject for a study that uses brain testing to try and find what motivates decisions.

Paul Zak, the director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University, is leading the research project. He describes his area of expertise as the study and measure of human brain activity during decision-making.

"By measuring brain activity, we're able to cut through all this noise in the background and in your brain, or what you think you're supposed to say, and find out what you really care about," Zak said. "We extract out these very faint signals that are, surprisingly, strongly predictive of people's decisions. The brain will actually tell us what's really engaging for you in terms of, say, a marketing campaign."

As Press and another test subject view and respond to images and messages, Zak uses brain-activity measurements to create a predictive model for decisions.

"So tell me why this book is so important to you," Zak said to Press.

During one session, the doctor found Press' brain scan spiked when she mentioned her boyfriend.

"So, the object is really about the person. I think that's fascinating," Zak said.

While marketers might be able to influence buying behavior, this study looks at why we purchase what we do.

"So, the kinds of ads that we found are the most effective, especially around the holidays, are ads that use social influence, that focus on the family, that focus on how happy you'll be when you buy some product."

Zak says that our brain has barrier mechanisms: "If the price is high, the brain encodes that as pain. It's painful to think of giving up $5,000 for this beautiful necklace for my wife, but I'm balancing how much she'll like it and, by refection, how much she will like me."

For those concerned about marketing influences, Zak suggests slowing down your purchase decision, for 24 hours if possible. He also said shoppers shouldn't go it alone -- utilize your support network and ask for their feedback before buying something.

As for Press, she now knows she can get some of the same satisfaction she once received from shopping without breaking the bank: "Probably the most important thing that I didn't realize was, we get more fulfillment from experiences than out of gifts."