Psychology of Communication and Marketing

The course comprises frontal lessons (6 CFU) and laboratory activities (3 CFU). In the first module the various psychological processes (cognitive, affective, motivational, and social in-fluence) that intervene in economic and consumer decisions will be illustrated, constantly making a com-parison between the economic model of the rational decision maker and the descriptive models proposed by both economic psychology and behavioral economics. The power point presentations of the lessons will be made available on the Classroom page of the course. The topics discussed in these lessons can be studied in the texts "Introduction to Economic Psychology" and "Misbehaving. The birth of behavioral economics "(Thaler). The second module will illustrate the recent research developments in the domain of social economic decision making that have used typical neuroscience methodologies and on how interpersonal perception, social evaluation, personality and emotional factors shape those decisional and neural processes. The topics discussed in these lessons can be studied on materials (scientific papers, critical reviews of the literature) that the teacher will make available on on the Classroom page of the course along with the power-point presentations of the lessons. In the hours of consumption research laboratory, students, in small groups of 2-4 people, will have to design and implement empirical research aimed at providing useful evidence for different types of mar-keting decisions (brand image, extension of the brand, testing of new products and packaging, co-communication). Each group will have the responsibility of developing an autonomous project from the formulation of the problem (briefing) to the final report (power point presentation and technical report in Word). During the laboratory hours the groups will be constantly supervised by the teacher who will provide from time to time to transmit both the construction techniques of ad hoc questionnaires and the use of already adapted psychometric scales. Particular attention will be paid to the selection phase of data analysis techniques, to the description of the results and to their psychological interpretation. In addition to the teacher’s advices, students will be able to use the materials available on the e-learning website of the course and the databases available in the SBS Sapienza environment. At the end of the workshop the groups will produce an oral presentation in front of the whole class and a technical report.

In order to understand the topics discussed during lectures and to be able to perform activities required for laboratory of consumer research, it is important to know the main topics of social psychology and research methodology at least at an introductory level (triennal courses).

For those who have regularly attended the consumption research laboratory: 1. Mannetti "Introduction to economic psychology" Carocci Rome 2004, pagg. 251, price 20.90 euros. 2. Thaler "Misbehaving. The birth of the behavioral economy, Einaudi Torino 2018, p.474, price 22.00 eu-ros. 3. Giacomantonio, Mannetti "Research methods in social psychology", Carocci Roma2016, pagg. 220, price 24 Euro. (to be used during the 72 hours of laboratory) 4. Materials on neuroscience of the economic decisions made available on the e-learning site of the course (link: https://elearning2.uniroma1.it/course/view.php?id=2740) and suggested readings: Motterlini « Economia Emotiva», Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli 2006 For those who have not attended the laboratory 1. Mannetti "Introduction to economic psychology" Carocci Rome 2004, pagg. 251, price 20.90 euros. (first module) 2. Thaler "Misbehaving. The birth of the behavioral economy, Einaudi Torino 2018, p.474, price 22.00 euros. (first module) 3. Giacomantonio, Mannetti "Research methods in social psychology", Carocci Roma 2016, pagg. 220, price 24 Euro. (to be used in place of laboratory activities) 4. Wilson A. "Marketing research", Pearson, London, 2012. (to be used in place of laboratory activities) 5. Materials on neuroscience of the economic decisions made available on the e-learning site of the course (link: https://elearning2.uniroma1.it/course/view.php?id=2740) and on the Classroom webpage Suggested readings: Motterlini « Economia Emotiva», Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli 2006 (third section for the second module)

Mandatory to the laboratory /Optional to frontal lessons.

for students who have attended the laboratory activities: - 15 multiple choice questions relative to the following textbooks: • «Introduzione alla psicologia economica» • «Misbehaving. La nascita dell'economia comportamentale» (sections 1-4) - 5 multiple choice questions relative to one of the following topics (students might choose which one): • Materials on neuroscience of the economic decisions made available on the e-learning site of the course (link: https://elearning2.uniroma1.it/course/view.php?id=2740) and suggested readings: Motterlini « Economia Emotiva», Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli 2006 • “Metodi di ricerca in psicologia sociale” - Valutazione delle attività svolte durante il lab (fino a 10 punti) For students who have NOT attended the laboratory activities: - 20 multiple choice questions relative to the following textbooks: • «Introduzione alla psicologia economica», • «Misbehaving. La nascita dell'economia comportamentale» • “Metodi di ricerca in psicologia sociale” - 10 multiple choice questions relative to: • «Marketing research»