cognitive dissonance

Cognitive dissonance is when people strive to justify their behavior by reducing the inconsistency between their perceptions of their purchase and reality.

Simply put, when you feel regret after buying a purchase, you often try to justify why you bought it. This usually happens with more expensive product.

Usually, this happens when your purchase decision was based on the peripheral route on the elaboration likelihood. When you only respond to basic stimuli ("ooh, pretty colors on that iPod") you fail to realize the truth about the product. Your attention shifts to NONPRODUCT information (colors, music in the background, endorsement) and your comprehension of what the product does is very shallow. Instead of forming an attitude toward the PRODUCT THEN BRAND, you form attitudes and beliefs toward the ADVERTISEMENT THEN BRAND.

MY OWN experience of cognitive dissonance was when i bought my digital camera. I didn't go through the motions of central perception route - i didn't ask for opinion, i didn't watch multiple advertisements with high involvement, i didn't even read or research good cameras. I just went to the store one day and saw a camera.

It was red. It was shiny. And it was relatively cheaper than the rest (although still pretty expensive...)

IMMEDIATELY i experienced problems. The shutter speed was very slow - i had to wait for a few seconds after i pushed the button for anything to happen. The flash was terrible, and i was really reconsidering my purchase. But i tried to JUSTIFY it, thinking to myself: "after all, it IS my favorite color" OR "nobody else has one like it" OR "i already bought it, so i'll make the best of it"

Advertising can help (or persuade) us to keep that purchase by reminding us or reassuring us that our decision was correct, and our purchase was worth it. It defends the purchase/product against any skepticism.

Needless to say, i still have that camera (it's been about 2 or 3 years now). I have YET to see such an advertisement that reassures me of my purchase.

Meanwhile, i see PLENTY of other ads for this camera:

I plan on making an informed decision next time, more central route, than peripheral...

and ya know? Christmas is coming up....