Neuromarketing Glossary

A

A/B test #

Comparing two versions of an ad, page or message to see which performs better on a chosen measure.

Affect heuristic #

Judging options by the emotion they trigger rather than by a detailed analysis of their merits.

Affective response #

Emotional reaction to a stimulus, which can be measured through physiology or self-report.

Ambient advertising #

Marketing placed in everyday environments such as floors, walls, car parks or street furniture.

Anchoring effect #

The first piece of information received heavily influences later judgments of price or value.

Approach motivation #

Drive to move toward a desired stimulus, such as a product or reward.

Attention capture #

A stimulus draws attention automatically, often through motion, contrast, faces or sudden change.

Attention economy #

The idea that human attention is scarce, so marketing competes for limited focus.

Attention ratio #

Share of viewers who look at a particular element of an ad, such as a logo or product.

Attention span #

Length of time a person can keep focus on a task or message before attention drifts.

Autobiographical memory #

Memory of personal experiences, which brands can connect with through shared moments.

Availability heuristic #

Judging how likely something is by how easily examples come to mind.

Avoidance motivation #

Drive to move away from a threat, cost or unpleasant stimulus.

B

Bandwagon effect #

Tendency to adopt a behavior or choice because many others already do.

Basal ganglia #

Brain region linked to habit formation and reward-driven behavior.

Behavioral economics #

Field combining psychology and economics to explain how people actually make decisions.

Biometric measurement #

Recording physiological signals such as heart rate, skin conductance or eye movement during exposure to marketing.

Brand affinity #

Emotional attachment a consumer feels toward a brand.

Brand equity #

Value a brand adds to a product beyond its functional features.

Brand personality #

Human traits people attribute to a brand, such as warm, bold or sincere.

Brand recall #

Ability of a consumer to retrieve a brand name from memory without a prompt.

Brand recognition #

Ability to identify a brand when it is shown.

Brand storytelling #

Using narrative to communicate brand values and build emotional connection.

C

Call to action #

Instruction that prompts the viewer to take a specific next step, such as buying or booking.

Choice architecture #

Design of how options are presented, which influences the choices people make.

Choice overload #

Having too many options can reduce satisfaction and lower the chance of a purchase.

Click-through rate (CTR) #

Percentage of people who click a link or ad after seeing it.

Cognitive dissonance #

Discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs, which can lead consumers to justify a purchase.

Cognitive ease #

Feeling that information is easy to process, which tends to feel familiar and trustworthy.

Cognitive load #

Amount of mental effort needed to process information at one time.

Color psychology #

Study of how colors influence mood and perception, with effects that vary by context and culture.

Commitment and consistency #

Principle that people tend to act in line with commitments they have already made.

Common ground #

Shared knowledge between communicator and audience, which speeds up understanding.

Confirmation bias #

Tendency to seek and remember information that supports existing beliefs.

Contrast effect #

Perception of an item is shifted by a nearby, different item.

Conversion rate #

Percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as a purchase or sign-up.

Cortisol #

Hormone linked to stress, which can affect attention and memory.

Cost per acquisition (CPA) #

Average cost to win one new customer.

Creative testing #

Comparing ad versions with audiences to see which performs best before wider release.

Customer journey map #

Visual showing the stages a customer passes through in their relationship with a brand.

Customer lifetime value (CLV) #

Total value a customer is expected to bring across the relationship with a brand.

D

Dark pattern #

Interface design that tricks users into actions they did not intend, such as hidden charges.

Decision fatigue #

Decline in decision quality after making many choices in a row.

Decoy effect #

Adding a third, less attractive option that makes another option look more appealing.

Default effect #

People tend to stay with the pre-selected option.

Delay discounting #

Tendency to prefer a smaller reward now over a larger reward later.

Dopamine #

Neurotransmitter associated with reward anticipation, motivation and learning.

Dual process theory #

Model describing fast, intuitive System 1 thinking and slow, deliberate System 2 thinking.

Dwell time #

Length of time a viewer's gaze stays on an area of interest.

E

EEG #

Electroencephalography, which records electrical activity of the brain through electrodes on the scalp.

Emotional arousal #

Level of activation or intensity in an emotional response, regardless of whether it is positive or negative.

Emotional contagion #

Tendency for emotions to spread between people through expression and imitation.

Emotional valence #

Whether an emotional response is positive or negative.

Empathy marketing #

Messaging that acknowledges and responds to a customer's feelings and needs.

Endowment effect #

Tendency to value an item more once it is owned than before it was owned.

Experiential marketing #

Creating memorable live or digital experiences that let people interact with a brand.

Explicit memory #

Conscious recall of facts and events.

Eye tracking #

Technology that records where, in what order and for how long people look at a visual.

F

Facial coding #

Analysis of facial muscle movements to infer emotional response.

Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) #

Low-cost products sold quickly, where repeat purchase and shelf presence matter most.

Fear of missing out (FOMO) #

Anxiety about missing rewarding experiences, often used in scarcity and urgency messaging.

First impression #

Initial judgment formed within seconds, which can shape later evaluation.

Fixation #

A pause of the eye on one point, commonly lasting around 200 to 300 milliseconds.

Fluency effect #

Information that is easier to process tends to feel more true or trustworthy.

Foveal vision #

Sharp central vision used when reading or looking closely at something.

Framing effect #

The same information presented in different ways leads to different choices.

Fusiform face area #

Brain region that responds strongly to faces.

G

Gamification #

Adding game-like elements such as points, levels or badges to non-game contexts.

Gaze cueing #

Tendency to follow where another person is looking.

Gaze plot #

Visual showing the sequence and duration of fixations during eye tracking.

Goal gradient effect #

Motivation increases as a person gets closer to completing a goal.

H

Habit loop #

Cue, routine and reward cycle that forms habitual behavior.

Halo effect #

One positive trait influences how other traits are perceived.

Heatmap #

Visual overlay showing where viewers look most, usually built from eye tracking data.

Hedonic adaptation #

Tendency to return to a baseline level of happiness after gains or losses.

Heuristic #

Mental shortcut that supports quick judgments.

Hick's law #

Decision time increases with the number and complexity of choices.

Hot cognition #

Decision-making shaped by emotion and arousal rather than pure analysis.

I

Identity-based marketing #

Messaging that connects a product to how a customer sees themselves.

Implicit association test #

Measure of automatic associations between concepts, such as brands and attributes.

Implicit attitude #

Automatic evaluation of an object that may differ from what a person states.

Implicit memory #

Memory that shapes behavior without conscious recall.

Impulse purchase #

Unplanned buying triggered by in-the-moment cues.

In-store neuromarketing #

Testing shopper responses to displays, packaging and shelf layout in retail settings.

Inattentional blindness #

Failure to notice an unexpected stimulus when attention is focused elsewhere.

Incentive salience #

Degree to which a cue makes a reward feel desirable.

Insula #

Brain region involved in interoception and disgust, and linked to gut feelings.

Interactive media #

Content that responds to user input, which can increase engagement and recall.

Interoception #

Perception of internal bodily signals such as heartbeat and breathing.

Involuntary attention #

Attention captured automatically by salient stimuli such as motion or bright color.

Involvement #

Level of personal relevance a consumer feels toward a product or category.

Ironic effect #

Trying not to think about something makes it more likely to come to mind.

J

Just noticeable difference #

Smallest change in a stimulus that a person can reliably detect.

K

Key visual #

Central image that carries a campaign's message across different media.

L

Limbic system #

Set of brain structures involved in emotion, memory and motivation.

Long-term memory #

Stored information retained for long periods.

Looking time #

Duration a person spends looking at a stimulus, used as a measure of attention.

Loss aversion #

Losses feel more painful than equivalent gains feel pleasant.

M

Marketing funnel #

Model showing the stages from awareness through consideration to purchase.

Memory consolidation #

Stabilization of a memory after learning, a process linked to rest and sleep.

Memory encoding #

Process of converting an experience into a stored memory.

Mental accounting #

Tendency to treat money differently depending on its source or intended use.

Mere exposure effect #

People tend to prefer things they have seen more often.

Message framing #

Presenting a message as a gain or as a loss to influence the response.

Micro-expression #

Brief, involuntary facial expression that can reveal emotion.

Micro-moment #

Brief moment of intent when a consumer turns to a device to act on a need.

Mirror neurons #

Neurons that fire both when performing and observing an action; their role in humans is still debated.

Mood congruence #

Tendency to notice and recall information that matches current mood.

Mood induction #

Deliberately creating a mood in research participants to test how it affects responses.

Motivated reasoning #

Reasoning toward a desired conclusion rather than an accurate one.

Multisensory marketing #

Using several senses, such as sight, sound and smell, together to shape experience.

Multivariate test #

Testing several elements at once to find the best combination.

Muscle activity (EMG) #

Electromyography, which measures muscle activity used to detect facial responses.

N

Negativity bias #

Tendency to give negative information more weight than positive information.

Neural efficiency #

Idea that familiar tasks need less brain activity to complete.

Neuroaesthetics #

Study of how the brain responds to beauty and art.

Neuroeconomics #

Field combining neuroscience, psychology and economics to study decision-making.

Neuroimaging #

Techniques that create images of brain structure or activity.

Neuromarketing #

Application of neuroscience and psychology methods to study and understand marketing response.

Neuropsychology #

Study of how brain function relates to behavior.

Novelty bias #

Preference for new stimuli over familiar ones.

Nucleus accumbens #

Brain region involved in reward, motivation and learning.

Nudge #

Small change to the choice environment that steers behavior without removing any options.

O

Object recognition #

Ability to identify objects from visual input.

Olfactory marketing #

Use of scent to influence mood, memory and purchase behavior.

Optimal stimulation #

Idea that people prefer a moderate level of novelty or complexity.

Orbitofrontal cortex #

Brain region involved in valuing options and predicting outcomes.

Overchoice #

Excess options that make decisions harder and less satisfying.

Oxytocin #

Hormone linked to trust and social bonding.

P

Paid media #

Advertising bought from publishers or platforms.

Pattern interrupt #

Unexpected element that breaks automatic attention and draws focus.

Peak experience #

Intensely positive moment that shapes how an experience is remembered.

Peak-end rule #

People judge an experience mainly by its most intense moment and by how it ends.

Perceived value #

A customer's subjective view of what a product is worth compared with its price.

Peripheral vision #

Vision outside the center of gaze, used to detect movement and change.

Personalization #

Tailoring content to an individual's preferences or behavior.

Persuasion knowledge #

Awareness that a message is trying to persuade, which can reduce its effect.

Pleasure response #

Neural and physiological reaction to something enjoyable.

Positioning #

How a brand is placed in consumers' minds relative to competitors.

Post-purchase dissonance #

Doubt after buying, which marketing can reduce with reassurance.

Pre-roll ad #

Video advertisement played before the main content.

Preattentive processing #

Rapid visual processing of features such as color, size or motion before conscious attention.

Prefrontal cortex #

Brain region involved in planning, self-control and decision-making.

Price anchoring #

Use of a reference price to make another price seem reasonable or low.

Price ending #

Prices ending in 9 or 99 can be perceived as lower, a pattern known as charm pricing.

Priming #

Exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a later stimulus.

Product placement #

Brand shown within entertainment content.

Prospect theory #

Theory describing how people evaluate gains and losses relative to a reference point.

Psychographics #

Segmentation based on values, attitudes, interests and lifestyle.

Pupillometry #

Measurement of pupil size changes, often linked to arousal or cognitive effort.

Purchase intent #

Stated or measured likelihood that a consumer will buy.

R

Recency effect #

The most recent information is remembered or weighted most heavily.

Reciprocity #

Tendency to return favors and kindness.

Reference price #

Price a consumer uses as a benchmark when judging whether a deal is good.

Reward prediction error #

Difference between expected and actual reward, which drives learning.

Reward system #

Brain circuitry that processes motivation and pleasure.

Ritual #

Repeated behavior with symbolic meaning, which brands can build around.

S

Sales conversion lift #

Increase in conversions attributable to a campaign or change.

Salience #

Quality of standing out from the surroundings.

Scarcity principle #

Limited availability tends to increase perceived value.

Scent branding #

Consistent use of a signature scent to build brand recognition.

Schema #

Mental framework that organizes knowledge and guides interpretation.

Self-congruity #

Match between a brand's image and a consumer's self-image.

Semantic memory #

Memory of general facts and meanings.

Sensory branding #

Building brand identity through sight, sound, touch, smell and taste.

Sensory overload #

Too much stimulation, which reduces processing and enjoyment.

Sensory-specific satiety #

Decline in enjoyment of a food after eating a lot of it, which encourages variety seeking.

Serial position effect #

Items at the start and end of a list are remembered best.

Shelf impact #

Ability of a package to stand out on a retail shelf.

Skin conductance (GSR) #

Measure of sweat-gland activity that reflects physiological arousal.

Social influence #

Changes in behavior caused by the presence or actions of others.

Social proof #

Tendency to follow what others do, especially when uncertain.

Somatic marker #

Bodily signal that guides decisions by linking emotion to past outcomes.

Sonic branding #

Use of sound, jingles or audio logos to identify a brand.

Spatial attention #

Focusing processing on a particular area of space.

Status quo bias #

Preference for the current state of affairs.

Stimulus-response #

Learned association between a cue and an automatic behavior.

Storytransportation #

Absorption into a narrative, which can reduce counterarguing.

Subconscious processing #

Mental processing that happens without awareness.

Subliminal stimulus #

Stimulus too brief or faint to be consciously perceived; its marketing effects are weak and disputed.

Sunk cost fallacy #

Continuing a course of action because of resources already invested.

Supraliminal stimulus #

Stimulus strong enough to be consciously perceived.

Surprise #

Emotional response to unexpected events, which can heighten attention and memory.

System 1 thinking #

Fast, automatic, intuitive thinking.

System 2 thinking #

Slow, deliberate, analytical thinking.

T

Tactile marketing #

Use of touch and texture to shape product perception and purchase.

Taste test #

Blind or open sampling used to measure product preference.

Temporal attention #

Focusing attention on a specific moment in time.

Temporal discounting #

Tendency to value near-term outcomes more than distant ones.

Thin slicing #

Ability to form a quick judgment from a brief exposure.

Trust heuristic #

Judging a message as credible because of its source.

Trust signal #

Cue such as a review, certification or guarantee that raises confidence.

U

Uncertainty avoidance #

Preference for predictability and clear rules.

Unconscious bias #

Automatic attitudes that affect judgments without awareness.

Unique selling proposition (USP) #

Distinct benefit that sets a product apart from competitors.

V

Value proposition #

Clear statement of the benefit a customer gets and why it matters to them.

Ventral striatum #

Brain region central to reward processing.

Verbal labeling #

Naming an experience or feeling, which can change how intense it feels.

Visual attention #

Allocation of focus to visual information.

Visual complexity #

Amount of detail in a visual, which affects processing speed and preference.

Visual hierarchy #

Arrangement of elements that guides the viewer's eye in order of importance.

Visual saliency model #

Computational model predicting which parts of an image will draw attention.

W

Wanting vs liking #

Distinction between motivation to obtain something and enjoyment of it once obtained.

Warm glow #

Good feeling from giving, which cause marketing can use.

Word-of-mouth #

Consumers sharing opinions about a brand with others.

Working memory #

Short-term memory used to hold and manipulate information.

Z

Zero moment of truth #

Point when a consumer researches a product before buying, online or offline.

Zero-price effect #

Free items attract disproportionate demand compared with low-priced items.

Zone of attention #

Area around the gaze where information is processed most effectively.