Insights

Why Consumers Say One Thing But Do Another: Understanding Behavioral Disconnects

How well do you understand your consumers’ true motivations? Many brands rely heavily on what consumers say during surveys and focus groups, but often, stated intentions do not translate into real-world behaviors. This disconnect between what people say and what they actually do can manifest itself as a major obstacle for brands trying to resonate with their audiences.

In this article, we delve into why this gap exists, explore the challenges it presents, and discuss how brands can leverage neuroscientific research tools to understand the true motivations behind consumer decisions.

The Difference Between Conscious and Nonconscious Sentiment

Stated sentiment represents what consumers consciously express during surveys, interviews, or focus groups. It is the rational, verbalized version of their preferences, and while this feedback offers important insights, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Nonconscious sentiment, on the other hand, represents the underlying feelings and motivations that consumers may not even be aware of themselves. The subconscious mind often drives these automatic responses, which play a critical role in determining and predicting actual behavior.

The gap between these two types of sentiment is significant. For example, an individual may state that they intend to buy a sustainable product in a survey, yet when faced with making a choice, they end up purchasing a cheaper alternative. Why?

Discrepancy Drivers

The disconnect between what consumers say and do is often a result of deeply rooted subconscious beliefs. Here are some common factors that demonstrate why understanding consumer behavior is often more complex than it appears.

Social Desirability Bias

People are often inclined to provide answers that they believe will be perceived positively by others, a phenomenon known as social desirability bias. However, when faced with the actual purchase, convenience or pricing might have a stronger influence, leading them to choose a less sustainable option. In theory, the respondent understands that favoring sustainability could be viewed as socially desirable, and they may even believe that this is the most important factor behind their purchasing decisions. But, when we remove social pressure from the scenario, and that consumer is left to make a decision in a real-world context, their true priorities emerge. Practical considerations like cost, convenience, or availability often outweigh the ideals they expressed in the survey, revealing a gap between stated intentions and actual behavior.

Limited Self-Awareness

People are often unaware of underlying motivations behind their decisions. Even when rational reasons for their actions are articulated, individuals may be unaware of the emotional or contextual influences shaping their behavior. For instance, someone may claim that they are purchasing a car for its safety features, while the true underlying motivator could be the brand’s association with status and prestige.

Contextual Influences

The environment in which decisions are made plays a dynamic and critical role in shaping outcomes, often overriding stated preferences or intentions. Contextual influences, such as physical surroundings, social influences, or emotional states, often sway choices, even when they conflict with an individual’s original preferences.

For example, an individual may express a strong commitment to healthy eating, but after a long day, the convenience and immediacy of fast food may outweigh their initial intention. Similarly, factors like time pressure, peer presence, or sensory cues, such as the smell of food or a product’s visual appeal, can subtly but powerfully nudge decisions.

Lack of Immediate Consequences

Survey or focus group settings often remove accountability, allowing individuals to express aspirations, ideals, or socially desirable preferences without immediate pressure to act.

Without immediate consequences, individuals project an idealized version of themselves, free from the practical limitations of real life. In real purchasing scenarios, however, constraints like pricing, availability, and convenience may alter this ideal decision-making process.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

Have you ever walked into a store intending to buy just one item, only to leave with two or three instead?

The fear of missing out can also lead consumers to act in contrast to their stated intentions. This phenomenon is especially evident in situations involving limited-time offers, flash sales, or exclusive promotions. The fear of being excluded from a perceived benefit or deal often overrides logical reasoning, resulting in behavior that contradicts an individual’s initial preferences or priorities.

FOMO highlights how emotional triggers, such as urgency and scarcity, can disrupt rational decision-making, driving actions that are often unplanned and reactive.

Behavioral Patterns and Cognitive Ease

Habits and routines are critical yet often underestimated drivers of purchasing behavior, shaping decisions in ways that are deeply ingrained and resistant to change. Behavioral patterns are rooted in the psychological principle of cognitive ease, where familiarity and repetition reduce mental effort and create a sense of comfort. As a result, individuals often default to established routines, even when they express interest in exploring new products or brands.

This behavior is particularly pronounced when convenience plays a key role, as routines streamline decision-making by minimizing the need for deliberation. For researchers, understanding the strength and persistence of habitual behavior is essential for predicting consumer actions and designing effective interventions.

The Role of Behavioral Research in Bridging the Gap

Effectively closing the gap between what individuals consciously express and their underlying, nonconscious sentiments often requires going beyond traditional research methods. This is where RIWI’s neuromarketing solutions become invaluable.

By leveraging advanced neuroscience-based techniques, researchers can uncover hidden emotional and cognitive triggers that shape decision-making. These tools allow brands to gain a more accurate and holistic understanding of consumer behavior, enabling them to design strategies that resonate on both a conscious and subconscious level.

  • Eye-Tracking: Eye-tracking technology provides insights into what captures consumers’ attention when they interact with a product, advertisement, or digital interface. Visual attention plays a significant role in guiding purchasing decisions, and eye-tracking helps brands pinpoint these key areas of engagement for informing the design of compelling packaging, advertisements, and user interfaces.
  • Facial Coding: Facial coding helps detect consumers’ emotional responses while interacting with a product or viewing an advertisement. Whether it’s joy, curiosity, frustration, or confusion, these subtle emotional cues provide a window into subconscious reactions. By identifying which aspects of a campaign resonate on an emotional level, researchers can tap into important insights that traditional surveys miss.
  • Implicit Testing: Implicit tests help identify subconscious associations that consumers may have toward a brand or product. For example, a consumer may subconsciously associate a particular brand with reliability or luxury, even if they do not explicitly mention it. Implicit testing is powerful for organizations looking to fine-tune their positioning and communication to align with the deep-seated attitudes and expectations of their target audience.

Together, these tools empower brands to move beyond surface-level data, uncovering even the most nuanced drivers of consumer behavior. RIWI’s platform incorporates both neuroscientific tools and unique global audience access options for holistic  insights.

Interested in behavioral or neuromarketing research? Contact us today to learn how our behavioral research solutions can help you create meaningful connections with your audience.