What is the MINDSPACE Framework?

On Thursday, the class was presented with the idea of the MINDSPACE framework. MINDSPACE is an acronym developed by psychologists and behavioral scientists to assist in the understanding of human behaviors. In marketing, this framework is applicable because it assists marketers in understanding and predicting how consumers will react to products and services. In order to help myself better understand this concept, I've decided to briefly analyze each part of the acronym and how it applies to me and my own behavior. This week I will analyze M through D. 

Messenger:

The idea of the messenger is that an individual is much more likely to listen to information from a trusted source versus a source that they don't regard as credible, even if it is identical information or advice. In my life I often see this concept applied when my parents give me advice on a subject that they may not be experts in. I don't always trust that advice until I've heard the same thing from a source that is more credible in that area. In marketing, it's very import that when trying to influence consumers they are presented with information from a source they trust such as a doctor or scientist.

Incentives:

Two great examples of incentives in my life are when a professor offers extra credit for doing extra assignments or when I am influenced to take a survey due to the reward I could receive for completing it. Incentives are very common in marketing because most consumers respond very well to rewards.

Norms:

A norm is a common belief or behavior demonstrated by the majority of a group. A great example of a social norm is that many people in Bozeman choose to wear puffy jackets when the weather gets cooler. Another good example is that college students are likely to party and consume alcohol. In both cases, companies can exploit these norms by marketing specific types of jackets in Bozeman or by targeting college students with ads for alcohol.

Default:

Defaults are behaviors by individuals that can be predicted to remain the same. For me, a common default is that every morning I choose to eat greek yogurt and granola for breakfast. If a product or service becomes the default choice of a group of consumers it can be very lucrative for the company producing that product or service.

For further information visit The Mindspace Framework.