Financing and Marketing Management

Unit 14 - Marketing Environment-Consumer Behaviour

14.8. Selective Distortion
Even stimuli that consumers note do not necessarily come across in the predicted way. Each person attempts to fit incoming information into his or her existing mind-set. Selective distortion describes the tendency of people to twist information into personal meanings. Thus Margaret may hear the salesperson mention some good and bad points about an IBM computer. If Margaret has a strong leaning toward IBM, she is likely to discount the negative statements in order to justify buying an IBM. People interpret information in a way that will support rather than challenge their preconceptions.