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MKT30040

Academic Year 2026/2027

Consumer Psychology (MKT30040)

Subject:
Marketing
College:
Business
School:
Business
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Geertje Schuitema
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Why do people buy things they don’t need? Why do peers influence what people like and do? How can people be persuaded to buy a product? Consumers are the most essential stakeholder of any company, yet marketing professionals often lack the foundational understanding of consumer psychology and its crucial impact on the marketplace. In this course you discover the psychological underpinnings of consumers’ decisions making processes and how consumer insights can be applied to marketing practice. Interest in psychology in addition to marketing is important for students to succeed in this module.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

After completing the course students should have obtained an overview and understanding of the most important concepts and theories that are relevant to understand consumer behaviour. Upon successfully completing this module, students will:

1. Understand how consumers process information, form attitudes and make decisions, and how these are shaped by internal and external influences.
2. Gain insights in how principles of consumer psychology is applied to marketing strategy and practices.
3. Gain ability to explain why and how marketing strategies can impact consumer behaviour.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Not addressed

Critical Thinking

The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Novice

Systems Thinking

The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Not addressed

Strategic

The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Not addressed

Integrated Problem Solving

The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Not addressed

Self-awareness

The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Not addressed

Normative

The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Novice

Anticipatory

The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Not addressed

Digital Literacy and Judgement

The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Not addressed

AI Literacy & Agency

The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Not addressed

Wellbeing

Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Not addressed

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

116

Lectures

24

Total

140


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Via self-study, lectures and in-class interactions theory and application of consumer psychology will be studied and analyzed.

The use of AI is Permitted. Students may use AI tools for support in this module (e.g. idea generation, practice questions or as a study aid). Students remain fully responsible for the accuracy and reliability of their work. Any use of AI must be cited appropriately.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

It is recommended that students have at least some knowledge of the Principles of Marketing and Marketing Management or else to have a background in the Humanities/Social Sciences.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): Pen-and-paper exam to assess basic knowledge in line with learning objectives. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
Graded No
100
No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Szmigin, I., & Piacentini, M., (2022, 3nd edition). Consumer Behaviour. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Thurs 11:00 - 12:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 2 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Thurs 14:00 - 15:50