Neuromarketing & Consumer Neuroscience: The Hidden Psychology Behind Buying Decisions | 100+ MCQ with Answers
Q1. Which of the following best defines neuromarketing?
A. A branch of psychology studying social influence
B. A marketing approach using brain science tools to understand decision-making
C. A traditional survey-based market research method
D. A digital analytics tool for sales forecasting
✅ Answer: B. A marketing approach using brain science tools to understand decision-making
Q2. What is the ultimate objective of neuromarketing?
A. To predict stock market trends
B. To understand and influence consumer decision-making by uncovering hidden drivers of behaviour
C. To automate marketing campaigns
D. To measure website traffic
✅ Answer: B. To understand and influence consumer decision-making by uncovering hidden drivers of behaviour
Q3. Neuromarketing transforms the consumer’s brain from a “black box” to a(n) ________.
A. Machine
B. Aquarium
C. Mirror
D. Circuit
✅ Answer: B. Aquarium
Q4. In neuromarketing, which method is often used to uncover the hidden drivers of behaviour?
A. Eye-tracking
B. Neuroimaging
C. Social media analytics
D. Market surveys
✅ Answer: B. Neuroimaging
Q5. The term brain in neuromarketing refers to:
A. Subjective thought processes
B. Anatomical and physiological structures within the skull
C. Conscious decision-making
D. Emotional intuition
✅ Answer: B. Anatomical and physiological structures within the skull
Q6. The mind in neuromarketing literature is best described as:
A. The tangible structure of neurons
B. A subjective cognitive state
C. A logical reasoning mechanism
D. A neurochemical response system
✅ Answer: B. A subjective cognitive state
Q7. According to neuromarketing, approximately what percentage of the brain’s activity is conscious?
A. 100%
B. 50%
C. 10%
D. 90%
✅ Answer: C. 10%
Q8. What percentage of brain processes are non-conscious according to neuromarketing studies?
A. 10%
B. 25%
C. 75%
D. 90%
✅ Answer: D. 90%
Q9. Which term is most accurate for processes that occur outside awareness?
A. Unconscious
B. Subconscious
C. Non-conscious
D. Inconspicuous
✅ Answer: C. Non-conscious
Q10. Why is the term “unconscious” discouraged in neuromarketing contexts?
A. It has no scientific meaning
B. It implies a medically anesthetized state
C. It overlaps with “subconscious”
D. It refers only to sleep patterns
✅ Answer: B. It implies a medically anesthetized state
Q11. Functional fixedness refers to:
A. A neural disorder
B. Anchoring onto a previous concept when solving a new problem
C. A form of cognitive clarity
D. Overthinking and self-doubt
✅ Answer: B. Anchoring onto a previous concept when solving a new problem
Q12. Which statement is most accurate about human thinking according to neuromarketing insights?
A. Humans use their full cognitive potential for decision-making
B. Humans seldom use deliberate thinking; decisions are mostly automatic
C. Humans rely exclusively on data and logic
D. Humans always rationalize before buying
✅ Answer: B. Humans seldom use deliberate thinking; decisions are mostly automatic
Q13. When the brain experiences two repetitions of a stimulus, what does it non-consciously expect next?
A. An unrelated event
B. A third similar repetition
C. Silence or a pause
D. A reversal of pattern
✅ Answer: B. A third similar repetition
Q14. The anticipation of gain in neuroscience is often:
A. Less pleasurable than receiving the reward
B. Equally pleasurable as the reward
C. More pleasurable than the actual reward
D. Unrelated to pleasure
✅ Answer: C. More pleasurable than the actual reward
Q15. Which of the following is not one of the three pillars of neuromarketing?
A. Neuroscience
B. Behavioural Economics
C. Social Psychology
D. Macroeconomics
✅ Answer: D. Macroeconomics
Q16. Behavioural economics in neuromarketing helps explain:
A. How people make real-world economic decisions
B. How the brain processes sound
C. How neurons fire in visual cortex
D. The effect of colour in ads
✅ Answer: A. How people make real-world economic decisions
Q17. Daniel Kahneman’s contribution to neuromarketing relates to:
A. Theories on emotional contagion
B. Fast and slow systems of thinking
C. Machine learning models
D. Mirror neuron theory
✅ Answer: B. Fast and slow systems of thinking
Q18. Richard Thaler is best known for which concept relevant to neuromarketing?
A. Heuristics
B. Nudge Theory
C. Cognitive Bias
D. Subliminal Persuasion
✅ Answer: B. Nudge Theory
Q19. Social psychology in neuromarketing helps explain:
A. How neurons connect
B. How people think and act in presence of others
C. How the limbic system processes fear
D. How memory is stored
✅ Answer: B. How people think and act in presence of others
Q20. What is the first stage in the architecture of consumer interpretation?
A. Determine meaning and value
B. Speaking and acting
C. Forming impressions
D. Deliberation and analysis
✅ Answer: C. Forming impressions
Q21. During the “Forming Impressions” stage, processing occurs:
A. Fully consciously
B. Through deep logical reasoning
C. Completely non-consciously
D. Only through visual cues
✅ Answer: C. Completely non-consciously
Q22. When sensory information is incomplete, what does the brain typically do?
A. Wait for more input
B. Fill in missing gaps with assumptions
C. Disregard the information
D. Escalate rational analysis
✅ Answer: B. Fill in missing gaps with assumptions
Q23. In the “Determine Meaning and Value” stage, the brain relies on:
A. Fresh experiences only
B. Random guesses
C. Pre-existing mental schema and memory
D. Social proof
✅ Answer: C. Pre-existing mental schema and memory
Q24. The process of connecting current stimuli with stored memory is essential for:
A. Product pricing
B. Brand extension and new product development
C. Financial reporting
D. Advertising ethics
✅ Answer: B. Brand extension and new product development
Q25. Which stage involves internal mental conversations and reasoning?
A. Speaking and acting
B. Forming impressions
C. Deliberation and analysis
D. Determine meaning and value
✅ Answer: C. Deliberation and analysis
Q26. The “Speaking and Acting” stage is associated with:
A. Memory recall
B. Motor neuron activation
C. Emotional suppression
D. Cognitive overload
✅ Answer: B. Motor neuron activation
Q27. Which processes can bypass deliberation and analysis?
A. Emotional impulses
B. Acquired skills or habits
C. Conscious decision-making
D. Logical problem solving
✅ Answer: B. Acquired skills or habits
Q28. Impulse purchases rely heavily on:
A. Rational justification
B. Price comparison
C. Feelings as information
D. Data analytics
✅ Answer: C. Feelings as information
Q29. The story of Phineas Gage is significant because it demonstrated:
A. That brain damage had no effect on personality
B. The connection between emotional and rational brain regions
C. The discovery of mirror neurons
D. That memory resides in the spinal cord
✅ Answer: B. The connection between emotional and rational brain regions
Q30. Which part of Phineas Gage’s brain was damaged?
A. Brainstem
B. Cerebellum
C. Interconnections between prefrontal cortex and limbic system
D. Occipital lobe
✅ Answer: C. Interconnections between prefrontal cortex and limbic system
Q31. How long can habit formation typically take?
A. 1–7 days
B. 18–254 days
C. 1–2 years
D. Less than a week
✅ Answer: B. 18–254 days
Q32. The first element in the habit loop is:
A. Reward
B. Routine
C. Trigger/Cue
D. Motivation
✅ Answer: C. Trigger/Cue
Q33. To change a habit, marketers should primarily target the:
A. Cue
B. Routine
C. Reward
D. Frequency
✅ Answer: C. Reward
Q34. Why must the reward in habit change be biological?
A. Because monetary rewards lose value
B. Because the brain ignores money
C. Because habits only respond to price
D. Because sensory input is irrelevant
✅ Answer: A. Because monetary rewards lose value
Q35. Eye-tracking studies help marketers understand:
A. Emotional contagion
B. Where consumers look and focus attention
C. Heart rate variation
D. Memory recall speed
✅ Answer: B. Where consumers look and focus attention
Q36. In the baby ad study, turning the baby’s gaze toward the product led to:
A. Lower attention
B. No change in engagement
C. Increased focus on the product and higher sales
D. Reduced brand trust
✅ Answer: C. Increased focus on the product and higher sales
Q37. When a model looks away from the viewer, it tends to create:
A. Narrative transportation
B. Distrust
C. Confusion
D. Cognitive overload
✅ Answer: A. Narrative transportation
Q38. Products that appeal to emotions or pleasure should use:
A. Direct gaze
B. Averted gaze
C. Eye contact with camera
D. Hidden face visuals
✅ Answer: B. Averted gaze
Q39. Products with functional attributes should use which gaze direction in ads?
A. Downward gaze
B. Averted gaze
C. Direct gaze
D. No eye contact
✅ Answer: C. Direct gaze
Q40. Direct gaze in advertising primarily fosters:
A. Curiosity
B. Trust
C. Desire
D. Skepticism
✅ Answer: B. Trust
Q41. The “autopilot system” analogy in neuromarketing refers to:
A. Subconscious processes controlling most decisions
B. Conscious logical reasoning
C. Sensory fatigue
D. Executive attention
✅ Answer: A. Subconscious processes controlling most decisions
Q42. In the brain-pilot analogy, consciousness is compared to:
A. The airplane engine
B. The autopilot system
C. The instrument panel
D. The flight route
✅ Answer: C. The instrument panel
Q43. The “non-conscious” part of the brain operates like:
A. Manual gear shifting
B. Autopilot managing routine actions
C. An emotional compass
D. A random number generator
✅ Answer: B. Autopilot managing routine actions
Q44. Neuromarketing differs from traditional marketing research because it:
A. Relies on consumer self-reporting
B. Avoids asking direct questions
C. Uses only secondary data
D. Ignores emotion
✅ Answer: B. Avoids asking direct questions
Q45. The main advantage of neuromarketing is that it:
A. Replaces all traditional methods
B. Reveals hidden, non-conscious reactions
C. Predicts macroeconomic shifts
D. Guarantees higher ROI
✅ Answer: B. Reveals hidden, non-conscious reactions
Q46. Which is not an example of a neuromarketing tool?
A. EEG
B. fMRI
C. Eye-tracking
D. Focus group discussion
✅ Answer: D. Focus group discussion
Q47. The limbic system primarily controls:
A. Logical reasoning
B. Emotional responses
C. Motor function
D. Visual recognition
✅ Answer: B. Emotional responses
Q48. When people feel a product is “trustworthy,” this often stems from:
A. Non-conscious emotional processing
B. Logical product analysis
C. Price comparison
D. Memory decay
✅ Answer: A. Non-conscious emotional processing
Q49. “Feelings as information” means:
A. Emotions serve as decision cues
B. Feelings distract from logic
C. Emotions are irrelevant
D. Information always suppresses emotion
✅ Answer: A. Emotions serve as decision cues
Q50. Why are impulse purchases not considered bypassing deliberation?
A. They involve no awareness
B. They rely on emotional evaluation
C. They are purely reflexive
D. They skip reward mechanisms
✅ Answer: B. They rely on emotional evaluation
Q51. Which of the following is most likely a biological trigger that influences consumer decision-making?
A. Currency exchange rate
B. Smell of coffee
C. Advertising slogan
D. Market segmentation
✅ Answer: B. Smell of coffee
Q52. Which part of the brain plays a significant role in connecting emotional and rational thought during decisions?
A. Amygdala
B. Cerebellum
C. Prefrontal cortex
D. Hippocampus
✅ Answer: C. Prefrontal cortex
Q53. In neuromarketing, “expectation based on repetition” is most closely related to:
A. Sensory deprivation
B. Pattern recognition
C. Cognitive dissonance
D. Brand loyalty
✅ Answer: B. Pattern recognition
Q54. A consumer habit that has existed for years is most effectively changed by altering the:
A. Cue
B. Brand logo
C. Reward stage
D. Advertising tagline
✅ Answer: C. Reward stage
Q55. Which of the following is an example of a biological reward in marketing?
A. Discount coupon
B. Social praise or compliment
C. Cashback offer
D. Loyalty points
✅ Answer: B. Social praise or compliment
Q56. A coffee brand wanting to replace a competitor should focus on:
A. Increasing shelf visibility
B. Reducing caffeine levels
C. Replicating the competitor’s taste reward
D. Running frequent promotions
✅ Answer: C. Replicating the competitor’s taste reward
Q57. Which tool would be least useful for measuring subconscious emotional response?
A. EEG (Electroencephalography)
B. fMRI (Functional MRI)
C. Eye-tracking
D. Customer satisfaction survey
✅ Answer: D. Customer satisfaction survey
Q58. In neuromarketing, eye-tracking helps brands optimize:
A. Product pricing
B. Advertisement layout and visual hierarchy
C. Packaging colour accuracy
D. Supply chain performance
✅ Answer: B. Advertisement layout and visual hierarchy
Q59. The gaze direction of a model in an advertisement can significantly impact:
A. Conversion funnel efficiency
B. Emotional attention and message focus
C. Price elasticity
D. Brand valuation
✅ Answer: B. Emotional attention and message focus
Q60. Narrative transportation in advertising leads to:
A. Reduced cognitive attention
B. Enhanced consumer immersion
C. Increased price sensitivity
D. Logical counterarguments
✅ Answer: B. Enhanced consumer immersion
Q61. A model’s direct gaze in an ad is most suitable for:
A. Emotional luxury products
B. Functional or utilitarian products
C. Products that evoke nostalgia
D. Entertainment products
✅ Answer: B. Functional or utilitarian products
Q62. “Consumers fill in missing information non-consciously” implies marketers should:
A. Keep messages vague
B. Provide complete and clear information
C. Use fewer visuals
D. Focus on product complexity
✅ Answer: B. Provide complete and clear information
Q63. The Forming Impressions stage is most associated with which type of processing?
A. Cognitive
B. Sensory
C. Reflective
D. Analytical
✅ Answer: B. Sensory
Q64. Which example best illustrates Determine Meaning and Value in the consumer interpretation model?
A. Recognizing a jingle as belonging to Coca-Cola
B. Comparing two insurance plans
C. Speaking to a sales representative
D. Scanning a product barcode
✅ Answer: A. Recognizing a jingle as belonging to Coca-Cola
Q65. Internal deliberation and analysis are skipped most effectively through:
A. Impulsivity
B. Habitual behaviour
C. Emotional persuasion
D. Peer pressure
✅ Answer: B. Habitual behaviour
Q66. Which process underlies “feelings as information”?
A. Emotional states guiding judgments
B. Rational cost–benefit analysis
C. Ethical deliberation
D. Logical comparison
✅ Answer: A. Emotional states guiding judgments
Q67. Which example reflects the principle of “anticipation of gain”?
A. Enjoying planning a vacation more than the vacation itself
B. Feeling guilty after a purchase
C. Rationalizing a high price
D. Avoiding risk due to fear
✅ Answer: A. Enjoying planning a vacation more than the vacation itself
Q68. Neuromarketing suggests that the majority of buying decisions are:
A. Conscious and deliberate
B. Logical and analytical
C. Non-conscious and emotionally driven
D. Random and impulsive
✅ Answer: C. Non-conscious and emotionally driven
Q69. Which best describes “the black box” in traditional marketing models?
A. An unknown area representing the consumer’s mind
B. The data analytics system
C. Customer feedback platform
D. A hidden market variable
✅ Answer: A. An unknown area representing the consumer’s mind
Q70. Neuromarketing “opens the black box” through:
A. Brain imaging technologies
B. Social media insights
C. Purchase intention surveys
D. Traditional segmentation
✅ Answer: A. Brain imaging technologies
Q71. Which of the following describes functional fixedness in consumer decision-making?
A. Consumers resist alternative product uses
B. Consumers prefer multifunctional products
C. Consumers avoid repeating mistakes
D. Consumers overanalyze simple products
✅ Answer: A. Consumers resist alternative product uses
Q72. According to neuromarketing, attention is a:
A. Conscious mental state
B. Neurological illness
C. Marketing bias
D. Brand personality trait
✅ Answer: A. Conscious mental state
Q73. Which of these statements is most consistent with neuromarketing evidence?
A. Consumers know exactly why they buy products
B. Most purchase motives operate below awareness
C. Consumers consciously plan every buying decision
D. Emotions and logic are separate in buying behaviour
✅ Answer: B. Most purchase motives operate below awareness
Q74. “Thinking, Fast and Slow” contributes to neuromarketing by explaining:
A. Neural plasticity
B. System 1 and System 2 decision modes
C. Mirror neurons
D. Brand loyalty loops
✅ Answer: B. System 1 and System 2 decision modes
Q75. System 1 thinking corresponds to:
A. Deliberate, logical reasoning
B. Automatic, intuitive processing
C. Ethical decision-making
D. Emotional suppression
✅ Answer: B. Automatic, intuitive processing
Q76. Which stage directly results in observable consumer behaviour?
A. Speaking and Acting
B. Determine Meaning and Value
C. Forming Impressions
D. Deliberation and Analysis
✅ Answer: A. Speaking and Acting
Q77. Which advertising strategy leverages “narrative transportation”?
A. Using a model looking toward the camera
B. Story-based ads where viewer imagines themselves in the scenario
C. Plain informational brochures
D. Comparative product sheets
✅ Answer: B. Story-based ads where viewer imagines themselves in the scenario
Q78. The emotional brain can often override rational thought due to:
A. Logical fatigue
B. Prefrontal–limbic interaction
C. Synaptic delay
D. Analytical failure
✅ Answer: B. Prefrontal–limbic interaction
Q79. According to neuromarketing, the “autopilot” mode of the brain handles:
A. Familiar and routine actions
B. Only novel experiences
C. Only emotional events
D. Critical reasoning tasks
✅ Answer: A. Familiar and routine actions
Q80. Which statement best defines Behavioural Economics within neuromarketing?
A. A field studying optimal pricing
B. A study of consumer choices influenced by biases and context
C. A focus on advertising psychology
D. A method for statistical forecasting
✅ Answer: B. A study of consumer choices influenced by biases and context
Q81. Non-conscious cues in stores, such as scent and lighting, are designed to:
A. Trigger rational evaluation
B. Influence emotion and preference subtly
C. Provide product information
D. Increase cognitive load
✅ Answer: B. Influence emotion and preference subtly
Q82. In consumer neuroscience, which term describes the brain’s expectation of pattern continuity?
A. Predictive coding
B. Sensory gating
C. Repetition bias
D. Mirror adaptation
✅ Answer: A. Predictive coding
Q83. The Phineas Gage case primarily demonstrated the role of:
A. The occipital lobe in perception
B. Emotional regulation in decision-making
C. The cerebellum in learning
D. Hormones in motivation
✅ Answer: B. Emotional regulation in decision-making
Q84. Which example demonstrates “habits bypass deliberation”?
A. Driving home along the same route without conscious thought
B. Analyzing every ingredient before eating
C. Reading a manual before using a phone
D. Calculating ROI before a purchase
✅ Answer: A. Driving home along the same route without conscious thought
Q85. A brand loyalty loop reflects:
A. Repeated rational comparisons
B. An established neural pathway reinforcing a habit
C. Random switching between brands
D. Short-term promotions
✅ Answer: B. An established neural pathway reinforcing a habit
Q86. A marketer aiming to form a new habit should first design an effective:
A. Logo
B. Cue or trigger
C. Discount campaign
D. Customer service plan
✅ Answer: B. Cue or trigger
Q87. The reward system in the brain is closely linked to:
A. The limbic system
B. The parietal lobe
C. The brainstem
D. The temporal cortex
✅ Answer: A. The limbic system
Q88. Why are “monetary rewards” often less effective in habit formation?
A. They fail to activate long-term biological reinforcement
B. They are too complex
C. They cause cognitive overload
D. They reduce dopamine response
✅ Answer: A. They fail to activate long-term biological reinforcement
Q89. Which advertising principle aligns most closely with neuromarketing insights?
A. Logical persuasion is always superior
B. Simplicity and sensory appeal drive recall
C. Overloading information ensures trust
D. Rational facts create emotion
✅ Answer: B. Simplicity and sensory appeal drive recall
Q90. Eye-tracking can detect:
A. Brand perception
B. Micro eye movements indicating focus
C. Hormone levels
D. Verbal response accuracy
✅ Answer: B. Micro eye movements indicating focus
Q91. Consumers who “trust their gut” rely primarily on:
A. Non-conscious emotional processing
B. Rational analytics
C. Logical argumentation
D. Social proof only
✅ Answer: A. Non-conscious emotional processing
Q92. According to neuromarketing, the brain values:
A. Anticipated reward more than realized reward
B. Monetary gain over social recognition
C. Complex over simple choices
D. Randomness over repetition
✅ Answer: A. Anticipated reward more than realized reward
Q93. A marketer designing packaging based on “touch and texture” is appealing to:
A. Rational analysis
B. Sensory non-conscious drivers
C. Logical perception
D. Auditory cues
✅ Answer: B. Sensory non-conscious drivers
Q94. Which of the following best illustrates social psychology’s role in neuromarketing?
A. Studying brain waves during sleep
B. Analyzing how people act in presence of others
C. Testing biochemical reactions
D. Measuring pupil dilation
✅ Answer: B. Analyzing how people act in presence of others
Q95. The “autopilot” and “instrument panel” analogy suggests that marketers should:
A. Focus solely on rational persuasion
B. Target both conscious and non-conscious systems
C. Ignore emotions
D. Simplify products to remove choice
✅ Answer: B. Target both conscious and non-conscious systems
Q96. Which brain region primarily processes emotional memory?
A. Amygdala
B. Frontal lobe
C. Occipital cortex
D. Corpus callosum
✅ Answer: A. Amygdala
Q97. The non-conscious mind is most responsible for:
A. Routine decision-making and habits
B. Long-term financial planning
C. Ethical reasoning
D. Strategic goal-setting
✅ Answer: A. Routine decision-making and habits
Q98. Which is a practical application of neuromarketing in retail?
A. Using scent diffusion to increase dwell time
B. Adding lengthy product explanations
C. Avoiding emotional appeals
D. Using monotone visuals
✅ Answer: A. Using scent diffusion to increase dwell time
Q99. Which of the following concepts bridges neuroscience and behavioural economics?
A. Emotional contagion
B. Decision biases under uncertainty
C. Rational choice theory
D. Linguistic framing
✅ Answer: B. Decision biases under uncertainty
Q100. The key takeaway from neuromarketing for marketers is that:
A. Consumers are always logical
B. Emotions, habits, and subconscious cues drive most buying decisions
C. Only pricing influences behaviour
D. Marketing should avoid psychology
✅ Answer: B. Emotions, habits, and subconscious cues drive most buying decisions
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