Cursos / 1º Ciclo / Faculty of Economy and Business Management :: Marketing

PSICOLOGIA DO CONSUMO - 2025/2026

1º curricular year
Semestralidade: 2nd semester
ECTS: 6

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutora Paula Rodrigues
Assistant Professor: Prof. Doutora Paula Rodrigues

Class type and School hours

Orientação Tutorial : 1 Horas
Teórico-prática : 2 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

1. Understand the individual, social and cultural factors that influence consumer behaviour.
2. Develop skills to collect, analyse and interpret consumer data, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches.
3. Train students to use digital data analysis tools to support marketing decision-making.

Specific Aims/Objectives

By the end of the unit, students should be able to:
1. Identify and explain the main models and theories of consumer behaviour.
2. Design and implement studies to collect qualitative data (interviews, focus groups) and quantitative data (online questionnaires).
3. Apply software and digital tools (e.g. SPSS, Excel, Google Forms, NVivo) to analyse consumer data.
4. Interpret results and transform them into actionable marketing insights.

Skills to be acquired

Cognitive: understanding of theoretical models of consumer behaviour and their practical application.
Technical: collection, processing and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data; use of computer analysis tools.
Interpersonal: effective communication of results, ability to work in a team, critical thinking.
Ethical-social: respect for privacy, responsible use of data, integration of environmental and social concerns into marketing strategies.

Teaching Procedures

Theoretical concepts and resolved exemplary case studies of acquired concepts will be developed. Students will develop a set of case studies for the acquisition of skills

Programme

Introduction to Consumer Behaviour
1.1. Concepts and importance in marketing
1.2. Theoretical approaches (psychological, sociological, cultural and economic)

Factors Influencing Behaviour
2.1. Individual factors: perception, motivation, learning, attitudes and personality
2.2. Social factors: reference groups, family, social roles
2.3. Cultural factors: values, subcultures, global trends

Purchase Decision Process
3.1. Recognition of need
3.2. Search for information
3.3. Evaluation of alternatives
3.4. Decision and post-purchase behaviour

Consumer Study Methods
4.1. Qualitative techniques: interviews, focus groups, observation
4.2. Quantitative techniques: surveys, panels, big data
4.3. Ethical and regulatory issues (GDPR, informed consent)

Data Analysis Technologies and Tools
5.1. Statistical software (SPSS, Excel, R)
5.2. Text and qualitative data analysis (NVivo, Atlas.ti)
5.3. Visualisation and dashboards (Power BI, Google Data Studio)

Current Trends in Consumer Behaviour
6.1. Sustainable and conscious consumption
6.2. Influence of social media and influencer marketing
6.3. Personalisation and customer experience

Evaluation Type

2 Mid-term tests: assessment of theoretical knowledge and application to practical cases.
Class participation and activities: exercises, debates and presentations.
Individual analysis work: interpretation of data provided by the teacher using software.

Teaching Resources

The student´s active participation in the process of teaching and learning will be enhanced ,
for that privilege the independent business ( individual and collective ) of different approaches
and critical evaluation of the content

Sustainability Objectives

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
Promote understanding of sustainable consumption patterns and the role of businesses in promoting responsible choices.
SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Apply innovative digital tools to analyse consumer behaviour in order to optimise marketing strategies.
SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Ensure ethical and transparent practices in data collection and processing, respecting privacy and applicable legislation.
SDG

Keywords

Consumer behavior, needs, motivation, perception, attitudes.

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography