Author: David Forbes
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Reviewer: Emma Travis, optimisation strategist, PRWD
As someone fascinated by consumer psychology, David Forbes’ book The Science of Why immediately appealed to me in my quest to understand the triggers that motivate consumers to take action.
The Science of Why is structured around what Forbes has coined ‘The MindSight Motivational Matrix’. The matrix is split into three types of motivations: intrapsychic (motivations which centre on the way we see ourselves), instrumental (motivations focused on the world around us) and interpersonal (motivations based on the way we interact with others). Although I found the MindSight Motivational Matrix somewhat overwhelming initially, I was intrigued to continue as the concept seemed logical.
Each chapter of the book goes into detail about an individual motivation such as ‘security’, which is an intrapsychic motivation. Forbes tracks each motivation from its primal roots, to the ways it manifests itself in infancy through to adulthood. The focus then shifts to the personality traits of consumers who are driven by these motivations and the most effective ways marketers should look to appeal to them. This consistent structure makes the book a handy tool for any marketer to have close by for dipping in and out of. However, it made the experience of reading the book in one go somewhat repetitive.
The book concludes with a summary of different research techniques to help marketers get to know their customers better in order to understand which of the motivations in the matrix drives them. I felt disappointed that Forbes really only touches the surface within this section, giving the reader little in the way of suggested next steps for applying the theories to their own business.
Overall, The Science of Why is a worthwhile read for anyone looking to build a solid foundation of understanding around consumer psychology and motivations. However, further reading and research would be required when looking to actually implement the concepts in the book to accelerate business growth.
Star Rating:
3/5
