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Dear Instructor:
There is an important Instructor Note provided by lead faculty for this course. Please contact
[email protected] for a copy of this note as soon as possible.
Please delete this page before sharing the syllabus with the students. This message is only
intended for instructors. Thank you very much.
BU.420.710.xx – Consumer Behavior– Instructor’s Name- Page 2 of 9
Consumer Behavior
2 Credits
Course NumberBU.420.710.XX (including section number)
(Note: each section must have a separate syllabus.)
Class Day/Time & Start/End date
Semester
Class Location
Instructor
Full Name
Contact Information
Phone Number: (###)###-####
E-mail Address:
Office Hours
Day/s
Times
Required Text and Learning Materials
Hoyer, MacInnis and Pieters (2013), Consumer Behavior, 6th Edition, Mason Ohio: South-Western,
Cengage Learning, ISBN 13: 978-1-133-43521-1
Additional Required Readings
Electronic copies of required materials used in this course must be obtained at Harvard Business
Publishing. Select only one of the following course packs for purchase (follow professor’s
instructions):
 Required readings, plus 9-596-039 (CB Exercise A): ADD HBR LINK
 Required readings, plus 9-596-040 (CB Exercise B): ADD HBR LINK
 Required readings, plus 9-596-041 (CB Exercise C): ADD HBR LINK
2. Electronic copies of additional assigned articles are available on Blackboard under the E-Reserves
tab.
1.
Supplemental Text
Cialdini, Robert B. (2008), Influence: Science and Practice, 5th edition, ISBN-13: 978-0205609994
NOTE: A complete list of additional required reading materials appears on the last page of the syllabus.
Blackboard Site
A Blackboard course site is set up for this course. Each student is expected to check the site throughout
the semester as Blackboard will be the primary venue for outside classroom communications between the
instructors and the students. Students can access the course site at https://blackboard.jhu.edu. Support
for Blackboard is available at 1-866-669-6138.
Course Evaluation
As a research and learning community, the Carey Business School is committed to continuous
improvement. The faculty strongly encourages students to provide complete and honest feedback for this
course. Please take this activity seriously because we depend on your feedback to help us improve so
BU.420.710.xx – Consumer Behavior– Instructor’s Name- Page 3 of 9
you and your colleagues will benefit. Information on how to complete the evaluation will be provided
towards the end of the course.
Disability Services
Johns Hopkins University and the Carey Business School are committed to making all academic
programs, support services, and facilities accessible. To determine eligibility for accommodations, please
contact the Carey Disability Services Office at time of admission and allow at least four weeks prior to the
beginning of the first class meeting. Students should contact Rachel Hall in the Disability Services office
by phone at 410-234-9243, by fax at 443-529-1552, or email: [email protected].
Important Academic Policies and Services
 Honor Code
 Statement of Diversity and Inclusion
 Tutoring
 Carey Writing Center
 Inclement Weather Policy
Students are strongly encouraged to consult the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Student
Handbook and Academic Catalog and the School website http://carey.jhu.edu/syllabus_policies for
detailed information regarding the above items.
Course Description and Overview:
Based on findings in psychology and sociology, this course provides students with a solid foundation in
consumers’ decision making. Topics include consumers' knowledge and involvement, attention,
comprehension, learning, attitude, and purchase intention. Strong emphasis is given to the design and
modeling of response patterns, diffusion of innovations, and consumer behavior for specific products and
services. Also explored is the practical impact of consumer behavior analysis on marketing mix
strategies, market segmentation/positioning, brand loyalty, persuasion process and promotion.
Student Learning Objectives for This Course
All Carey graduates are expected to demonstrate competence on four Learning Goals,
operationalized in eight Learning Objectives. These learning goals and objectives are supported
by the courses Carey offers. For a complete list of Carey learning goals and objectives, please
refer to the website http://carey.jhu.edu/LearningAtCarey/LGO/index.html.
The learning objectives for this course are:
1. Enable students to describe the concept of consumer behavior and its role in today’s marketing
environment and marketing planning.
2. Help students understand basic principles and concepts used in studying marketplace behavior.
3. Introduce students to a variety of psychological theories and models that can explain and predict
customer behavior and the role of verbal and non-verbal communications in marketplace
exchnages.
4. Equip students with the requisite skills for critically evaluating and using cutting-edge consumer
research to examine marketplace behavior and develop data-driven marketing decisions.
Due Date Policy
A hard copy of assignments submitted for are grading at the beginning of class. Due dates are strictly
followed, therefore students should note due dates listed in the syllabus and plan accordingly. Late
assignments will not be accepted. However, early submission of completed assignments is encouraged
whenever an assignment due date conflicts with other professional or personal priorities.
Evaluation Policy
Students should provide a hard copy of assignments submitted for grading at the beginning of class. Due
dates are strictly followed, therefore students should note due dates listed in the syllabus and plan
BU.420.710.xx – Consumer Behavior– Instructor’s Name- Page 4 of 9
accordingly. Late assignments will not be accepted. However, early submission of completed
assignments is encouraged whenever an assignment due date conflicts with other professional or
personal priorities.
Assignments were intentionally given a strict page limit. As such, content appearing on pages that exceed
the stipulated page limit will not be read or graded. Following instructions, re-writing assignments several
times and editing the final document will usually help students satisfy the page limit requirements.
Important notes about grading policy:
The grade for good performance in a course will be a B+/B. The grade of A- will only be awarded for
excellent performance. The grade of A will be reserved for those who demonstrate extraordinarily
excellent performance. *The grades of D+, D, and D- are not awarded at the graduate level. Grade
appeals will ONLY be considered in the case of a documented clerical error.
ASSIGNMENTS
Assignment
Attendance and participation in class activities
Exam
Individual Interpretive Assignments
 Nonverbal communications analysis (10%)
 Consumer decision making interview (10%)
 Consumer experience mapping (10%)
Team Mini-Project
 Written Report (25%)
 Presentation (10%)
Peer Evaluation
Total
Learning Outcome
1, 2
2, 4
1, 2, 3
2, 3, 4
Weight (%)
15
20
30
35
Will influence the
group project score.
100 %
Attendance and Participation (15%)
Student performance is evaluated weekly based on attendance, active in-class participation and
contribution to weekly discussion topics/questions. Regular attendance is the minimum requirement for
successful completion of this course. While excessive absences will significantly impact a student’s
learning, it will indeed have greater consequences for one’s final grade. In this course, “excused
absences” are a misnomer and makeup work is never available.
Students should check Blackboard weekly as that platform will often contain materials, such as
discussion questions, videos or news articles, used for in-class discussions. Blackboard will notify
students when new class discussion material has been posted.
The grading rubric for class participation is posted on Blackboard. Students should carefully review the
grading criteria at the beginning of the term to understand how individual participation performance will be
assessed in this class. Students will be able to review their participation score at the end of each class to
perform a self-assessment throughout the term.
Exam (20%)
An exam is scheduled for Week 7. The closed book/closed computer exam is cumulative and covers
material from readings, lectures, cases and in-class discussions. The exam will consist of short answer
and essay questions pertaining to conceptual, managerial and analytical topics. Students are expected to
demonstrate knowledge of consumer behavior concepts, theories, frameworks and measures, describe
the effects of cognitive, emotional and social influences on consumer information processing and
behavior and discuss implications of consumer behavior for marketing strategy and marketing
performance.
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Individual Interpretive Assignments (30%)
Students will complete three independent exercises to explore actual consumer behavior practices and
apply commonly used behavioral research tools. Each assignment entails producing a 2-page single
space written report that addresses specific questions about the consumer behavior activity. Detailed
guidelines and the designated reading materials for each of the following assignments are posted on the
Blackboard website.
Assignment 1
Nonverbal Communications Analysis – students will assume an observer’s role as they examine two
video-based marketing transactions that the instructor has selected to help them understand the influence
of nonverbal communications in a (a) consumer and (b) B-2-B marketing exchange. Because buyer and
seller exchanges are complex social interactions that are defined by a myriad of verbal and nonverbal
clues and signals, students are asked to apply psychological concepts and theories to analyze and
interpret such interactions.
Assignment 2
Consumer Decision Making Interview – students will explore the “lived customer experience” and
examine a consumer behavior phenomenon through a psychological lens. They will conduct an indepth
interview with a consumer regarding purchase of a specific product/service. Students will then analyze
the key behavioral research findings, apply theoretical concepts to interpret and ascribe meaning to the
purchase and discuss managerial insights in a two-page written assignment.

The instructor will assign students to one of three consumer behavior exercises for this assignment,
which can be found at the HBR link contained on page 1.
Assignment 3
Customer Experience Mapping – this mapping exercise helps students understand how thoughts,
attitudes and behaviors underlying customer interactions with the brand at every possible touch point can
illuminate how customers make decisions and experience the brand in totality. More importantly,
knowledge of the customer experience process can yield insights regarding involvement, emotional
engagement, brand love, customer satisfaction, approach/avoidance behavior and other behavioral
outcomes important to building long-term customer relationships.
Students will analyze a real consumer experience scenario and develop a customer experience map,
answer specific questions about the actual and optimal customer experience, and apply specific
consumer behavior theories to propose changes that can enhance the customer experience.
Team Mini-Project (35%)
Students will form teams consisting of four persons (the number might change depending on course
enrollment) on the first day of class. This team will work together throughout the semester to develop the
final written report and presentation that is due Week 8. At the end of the process, the team will submit
peer evaluations based on their individual perspectives of individual member contributions.
Students are urged to work on the project throughout the term; doing so will help in identifying relevant
concepts, methods and analyses the team may want to address based on the content of each week’s
reading assignment.
Please see Blackboard for grading rubrics for the written project, project presentation and peer
evaluations.
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MINI-PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS
Teams will work on a consumer behavior research project starting in Week 2. The assignment will give
students an opportunity to examine consumer behavior pertaining to a contemporary, novel or emerging
behavioral phenomenon that is of mutual interest to team members. In drawing practical implications from
studying and analyzing a specific behavioral phenomenon, students will recognize internal and external
factors impacting consumer decision making, understand the complexity of marketplace behavior and
identify how the art and science of consumer research produces meaningful insights that influence
marketing decisions and practices.

The instructor must approve the team’s research topic by Week 3. Examples of topics appropriate for
this assignment include: co-design of consumer durables, peer-to-peer activity, brand advocates in
service industries, consumer revenge, frugal consumers, celebrity fanaticism, freemium-to-premium
conversion, consumer privacy and coupon promotions, tattooing and the elderly, Internet-based
health management, body grooming and metrosexuals or consumer empowerment in underserved
communities.
The Written Mini-Project Report
The final team report will consist of a 10-page single-spaced paper that adheres to the following outline.
Cover Page: Project Topic, Course title and term and team member names
Executive summary (not included in page count)
Table of contents with page numbers (not included in page count)
1.
Project Description (1 page) – an overview of the research project will include: a broad
description of the behavioral phenomenon, a brief discussion of its influence on consumer
behavior and decision making and a summary of its potential impact on business (e.g., specific
companies or industries) and society.
2. Secondary Research (approx. 4 pages) – based on the analysis of relevant secondary data,
teams will conduct a brief literature review to examine a particular behavior. The purpose of this
in-depth analysis is to document information that describes the behavioral phenomenon in its
various forms and to discuss theoretical ideas, models or frameworks that can explain when, why
or how the behavior occurs. Additionally, secondary research will help teams identify social,
cultural or other environmental influences that can help marketers better the behavioral
phenomenon.
3.
Primary Research (approx. 3 pages): following a solid grounding of the behavioral phenomena,
teams are to move the investigation into the field – the real word – to document evidence of the
behavioral phenomenon. The purpose of obtaining current and first-hand evidence from real
consumers is to bring the behavioral phenomenon to life by identifying its psychological,
behavioral and social influences. This limited investigation (sample size of 4-6 people) can be
conducted using any range of qualitative data collection methods such as observational research,
in-depth interviews, slice-of-life mini videos, environmental scanning, customer testimonies or
other creative means for capturing consumers’ lived experiences. Refer to Hoyer, Macinnis and
Pieters (2013, Chapter 1 Appendix) for other research method options.
4.
Attitude Change Strategy (approx. 2 pages): teams will analyze data gathered during Stage 2 and
3 above to determine how to create or change prevailing attitudes toward the behavioral
phenomenon in an effort to positively impact marketing strategies. Discussion of attitude
formation and attitude change are covered by Hoyer, McInnis and Pieters (2013, Chapters 5-6).
Various theories of attitude change will be presented throughout the term.
5.
Marketing insights (approx. 1 page): teams should explain how the research insights obtained
from this project can help marketing managers better understand consumers more generally and
improve marketing practices in a specific industry or marketing setting.
BU.420.710.xx – Consumer Behavior– Instructor’s Name- Page 7 of 9
6.
References (not included in page count)
 Minimum of 10 references required
7.
Appendix (10 page max)
 Attach copies of any primary data collection guides, scripts or solicitations, interview
summaries, visuals, tables or other supporting materials.
Research Note 1: An initial search for timely and relevant consumer behavior information should target
trade and popular press publications such as Psychology Today, Brand Week, USA Today, The Wall
Street Journal, Financial Times, AMA Marketing News, Sloan Management Review, McKinsey Quarterly,
provide a wealth of information on consumer and marketplace in a wide range of industries.
Research Note 2: appropriate secondary resources for this project include but are not limited to peerreviewed academic journals such as The Journal of Consumer Research, The Journal of Marketing,
Marketing Science, Marketing Letters, The Journal of Retailing, The Journal of the Academy of Marketing
Science, Psychology and Marketing, Journal of Advertising, The Journal of Service Research, The
Journal of Consumer Affairs, and The Journal of Marketing and Public Policy that provide theoretical
treatment of consumer behavior topics. Additionally, journals from the field of social psychology, sociology
and economics also contain extensive treatment of consumer behavior topics as well. Theoretical models,
conceptual ideas and empirical evidence are critical resources for developing the research topic for this
assignment. Do NOT wait until the last minute to conduct secondary research as the amount of
information available on any consumer behavior topic could be overwhelming.
Research Note 3: information obtained from blogs, commercial websites and other online resources (e.g.,
Wikepedia, LinkedIn) that primarily represent independent opinions and thoughts written by “selfproclaimed” experts or other “unidentified” sources are to be used minimally in the written report (no more
than 5% of all referenced materials). Refer to APA guidelines for properly citing such information sources.
Mandatory APA guidelines. All secondary information sources such as journals, magazine articles,
websites and industry reports must be properly acknowledged and formatted with in-text citations of
the original source and an organized list of references. Please strictly adhere to APA guidelines for
formatting and documenting information sources used in the project report.
Written Assignment Requirements





Must be typewritten, using a 12-point font
Include 1” margins on all sides
Include page numbers
Staple pages
Written text cannot exceed required page limit; include additional info in appendix, if necessary
Team Mini-Project Presentation
Each team will deliver a 15-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A period. They will produce an
original storyboard promoting the attitude change recommendation toward the behavioral phenomenon.
Storyboarding is a creative and effective tool for selling new ideas. Teams will be provided a list of
resources to introduce storyboarding ideas, tools and techniques. They are encouraged to use their
imagination about how to integrate low-tech/high tech resources to produce a persuasive storyboard.
Limited use of traditional Power Point slides is permitted for: (1) introducing the project topic, (2)
highlighting the key psychological, behavioral and social influences and (3) summarizing the managerial
relevance of research findings. Otherwise, the use of text-heavy Power Point slides is prohibited for this
assignment.
BU.420.710.xx – Consumer Behavior– Instructor’s Name- Page 8 of 9
Tentative Course Calendar*
Week
Topic
Assignments+#
1
Introductions
Course Overview
Read: HMP – 1 & Appendix & 17
DUE: Team Introductions
2
Attention and Comprehension
Read: HMP - 2,3 & 4
Read: Sundaram and Webster (2000)
Read: Puccinelli, Motyka and Grewal
(2010)
3
Cognition, Attitudes and Persuasion
Attitude Change
Read: HMP Text - 5 & 6
DUE: Project topic and description
DUE: Individual Paper 1
4
Consumer Decision Making and Learning
Read: HMP Text - 7, 8 & 9
Read: Spenner and Freeman (2012)
Read: Gershoff and Johar (2006)
5
Consumer Culture and the Social Environment
Symbolic Consumption
Read: HMP Text - 11, 12 & 16
DUE: Primary Research Design
DUE: Individual Paper 2 (see Deighton &
Fournier 1997)
6
Post-Decision Processes
7
Psychographics and Personality
Read: HMP Text - 10
Read: Rickard 2006
Read: Puccinelli, Goodstein, Grewal, Price,
Raghubir, and Stewart (2009)
Read: Chase and Dasu (2001)
Exam
Read: HMP Text – 14
Read: Parent, Plangger and Bal (2011)
Read: Tian, Bearden and Hunter (2001)
DUE: Individual Paper 3
8
Project Presentations
DUE: Written Team Mini-Project Report,
Storyboard Presentation, Peer Evaluations
*The instructor reserves the right to alter course content or adjust the pace to accommodate class size.
+HMP Text = Hoyer, MacInnis and Pieters required textbook
#HBR = articles contained in HBR course pack; BB = Blackboard
BU.420.710.xx – Consumer Behavior– Instructor’s Name- Page 9 of 9
Required Case Studies (students will purchase only one of the exercises below)
ID Number
Title
9-596-039
“Consumer Behavior Exercise (A)” or
9-596-040
“Consumer Behavior Exercise (B)” or
9-596-041
“Consumer Behavior Exercise (C)”
Additional Readings
Author/Year/Source
Deighton and Fournier, 1997 (HBR)
Week
Assigned
Title
Week 2
“The Role of Nonverbal Communication in
Service Encounters”
Sundaram and Webster (2000)
“Can You Trust a Customer’s Expression?
Insights into Nonverbal Communication in
the Retail Context”
Puccinelli, Motyka and Grewal (2010)
“To Keep Your Customers: Keep it
Simple”
Spenner and Freeman (2012)
“Do You Know Me? Consumer Calibration
of Friends’ Knowledge”
Gershoff and Johar (2006)
“Winning by Understanding the Full
Customer Experience”
Rickard, 2006 (Boston Consulting
Group, BB)
“Customer Experience Management in
Retailing: Understanding the Buying
Process”
Puccinelli, Goodstein, Grewal, Price,
Raghubir, and Stewart 2009 (BB)
“Want to Perfect Your Company’s
Service? Use Behavioral Science”
Chase and Dasu, 2001, (HBR course
pack)
“The New WTP: Willingness to
Participate”
Parent, Plangger and Bal 2011 (BB)
“Consumers’ Need for Uniqueness: Scale
Development and Validation”
Tian, Bearden and Hunter , 2001 (BB)
Week 4
Week 6
Week 7
Author/Year/Source
Topic
Copyright Statement
Unless explicitly allowed by the instructor, course materials, class discussions, and examinations are
created for and expected to be used by class participants only. The recording and rebroadcasting of such
material, by any means, is forbidden. Violations are subject to sanctions under the Honor Code.