Seniors' Analysis of Movie Characters as Consumers

Abstract

<p>Observing consumer behavior can be challenging within a classroom setting. However, gaining experience with observing consumer behavior is essential for students, as individuals who learn from experience tend to absorb knowledge more readily (Kolb, Boyatzis, & Mainemelis, 2001). To initiate such behavior, an assignment was created in a senior-level course to facilitate the observation of the five stages of the consumer decision making process within student-selected movies. The movie served as a catalyst to understanding and experiencing consumer behavior. Student feedback for this assignment was highly positive. After the project was complete, students were asked to fill out an anonymous online survey. Responses indicated that watching various stages of the consumer decision making process unfold in the movie, allowed for those concepts to be fully learned. Providing an experience for students through abstract conceptualization of a movie in relation to the consumer decision making process has been beneficial.</p>