What is the type of Psychology that focuses on human choice and why they chose certain things over others?

[Alex Mills]

In a shop most people will pick a chocolate bar that is bright, colourful, great name, rather than one thats called "chocolate" with a plain white packeting..but i want to learn about this kind of psychology but in much more deatail and much more specifically than a choclate bar in a shop. what is the type of Psychology called?
*This isn't just about shooping, i just mean peoples choices in general*

[Shoes]

The Psychology of Consumer Behavior - http://psychology.about.com/od/brancheso...hology.htm


psychology behind shopping and marketing - http://www.marketing-made-simple.com/art...GbxiU1hfng

Marketing Psychology course - http://www.acs.edu.au/info/business/mark...eting.aspx


Education and Training Requirements

Most entry-level jobs in consumer psychology require at least a bachelor's degree in psychology. Jobs at this level typically involve planning, conducting and interpreting the results of market research campaigns. Those interested in more advanced positions or in teaching at the university level will need a master's or doctorate degree in an area related to consumer psychology. Such degree options include general psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, marketing and consumer studies.

If you are interested in becoming a consumer psychologist, focus on taking courses that will build your understanding of human behavior, marketing, social psychology, personality and culture. In addition to learning more about the factors that influence how people think and behave, having a solid background in advertising and marketing can also be very helpful. Finally, it is essential to be well-versed in experimental methods. Coursework in experimental design and statistics is essential.

Consumer Psychology Career Options

The career path you ultimately choose will depend a great deal upon your interests and educational background. For example, if you have an interest in conducting theoretical research and teaching, consider earning a doctorate degree so that you can teach courses and perform original research at a university. If you prefer to work in an area like market research, advertising or sales, a bachelor's degree might be sufficient.

Other job options include acting as a consultant for private businesses or working for government agencies. In such jobs, consumer psychologists might be asked to perform a wide range of duties including development marketing campaigns, researching buyer trends, designing social media advertising or analyzing statistics.

You can learn more about the kinds of jobs that are available in this field by visiting the job board on the Society for Consumer Psychology website (http://www.siop.org/jobnet/ ).

[Sadie]

It honestly depends on the choices you are interested in- in the example you provided, it would be consumer psychology or marketing. If you are curious about mate or friend selection, it might be social psychology. Perhaps the most general discipline that you should look into would be psychology of motivation (note: "motivation" does not just mean the opposite of "lazy"; in this sense, it is primarily concerned with why we are motivated to make certain choices such as choosing to eat when we're hungry or taking a certain road home). Hope this helps!