What is Behavioral research? Importance, Methods & Examples

Like any other pattern in life, including demography and geography, behaviors can also show how consumers make their purchase decisions.  In fact, the subject of consumer behavior and how it influences consumer buying is widely studied in the field of marketing. Hence the usage of behavioral research is rising in today’s tough business environment.

In the market research process, the first step is to define the research objectives. However, it is closely followed by developing the research plan. While developing the research plan, we need to decide which type of market research we want to carry out. If yours is a retail sector or a sector where customers are clearly visible, then behavioral market research is the best option in developing a research plan.

Behavioral research, as the name suggests observes the behavior of customers to come out with insights on how to improve the product or the presentation of the product for the customers. Behavioral research is explained with a couple of examples below.

What is Behavioral Research?

Behavioral research is a scientific approach that involves the systematic and empirical study of human behavior. It incorporates both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to explore and interpret the ways in which individuals interact with, and are influenced by their environment.

For example, a psychologist may conduct behavioral research to examine the association between economic behavior and mental health. This might involve collecting new data through surveys or observational studies and using statistical analysis to identify patterns or differences. Additionally, education professionals may use behavioral sciences to develop effective teaching methods and processes, based on how students respond to various educational environments and stimuli.

Another example can be in public health where behavioral research is used to understand how and why people engage in particular health behaviors such as smoking or physical activity. This helps inform strategies for interventions or programs designed to reduce unhealthy behaviors. Data management also plays an important role in large-scale behavioral research projects. By appropriately organizing and managing data, researchers can accurately analyze the results of their studies.

Reasons Behind the Increasing Importance of Behavioral Research

There are several reasons why the importance of social and behavioral research is increasing. First, it provides valuable insights into human behavior which can be used to develop more effective interventions and strategies for dealing with social and economic problem areas. By better understanding how people think and behave, interventions can be tailored to meet specific needs.

Second, a greater understanding of behavior also enables professionals to better target resources at the most vulnerable populations, ensuring that interventions are properly focused on those most in need. For example, through behavioral science research, health professionals can better understand why some people may be reluctant to engage with traditional healthcare services, allowing them to adapt their approach accordingly

This type of market research is increasing in importance because customers are more and more becoming technology savvy and they have information even prior to their visiting a retail store. Even when they are visiting a website, customers are very clear about the information they are looking for on the website.

Thus, influencing these customers starts much earlier than they begin visiting. The existence of Above-the-line marketing ideas like Television ads, print ads, and magazine ads is because these ads influence consumer behavior. Thus behavioral research helps in finding out the best method to influence customers and attract the customers towards your brands.

What are the Behavior Research Methods?

1) Behavioral perspectives

Behavioral perspectives focus on the observable and measurable aspects of human behavior. It aims to understand why we behave the way we do and explore the relationship between our minds, environment, and actions. This perspective relies heavily on empirical evidence gathered through different research methods. Two primary types of research methods used in behavioral research are Qualitative and Quantitative research.

• Qualitative research is more subjective and employs methods that generate descriptive data like personal experiences, case studies, and interviews. It allows the researcher to delve deeper into the complexities and processes of human behavior. The factors contributing to a particular behavior, the nuances of interactions, and the subjective interpretation of experiences are all explored in qualitative research. In practical application, qualitative research can inform the development of tailored treatment programs in various disciplines such as psychology and economics.
• Quantitative research, on the other hand, is more objective and focuses on numerical data and statistical analysis. This type of research investigates measurable, concrete data such as frequency, duration, or intensity of a behavior. This data can be used to demonstrate patterns, make predictions, and establish facts. For example, a university might use quantitative behavioral research to report on the success of a career development program, considering factors like job placement rates and graduate earnings.

2) Observation

Observation is another important research method used in behavioral research. This involves direct or indirect observation of a person’s behavior in a naturalistic setting. Direct observation requires the researcher to be present and observe behavior as it takes place, while indirect observation typically relies on recordings of participants’ behavior made by someone else. Observational methods can provide detailed information about how people interact with each other and their environment. For example, in social work, observation can be used to identify patterns of behavior that indicate relationship issues or family dynamics.

3) Measures That Are Not Obvious

Researchers often use unobtrusive measures to study behaviors that participants might otherwise alter. This includes methods such as using heatmaps to track website navigation or analyzing social media activity. These techniques can provide a rich, unbiased view of natural behavior.

4) Medical Research

Medical research uses behavioral data to understand how lifestyle factors influence health. It involves studies on behaviors like diet and exercise, and how they relate to various health outcomes, such as heart disease or diabetes. This can guide the creation of health interventions.

5) Research on Education and Training

Behavioral research in education looks at teaching methods and learning styles to improve educational outcomes. This can involve studying student engagement, teacher-student interaction, or the effectiveness of various teaching strategies, shaping the future of education.

6) Consumer Behavior Research

Consumer behavior research explores how individuals make purchasing decisions, the motivations behind these choices, and the influence of marketing strategies. This helps businesses tailor their products and messaging to meet consumer needs and preferences.

Examples of Behavioral Research

• Online: There are many firms that exist to analyze customers when they visit a website. Some of the most common ones, yet most effective ones, are Google Analytics and Google Webmaster. These two websites are the ones I use on marketing91 and they track the clicks of users as well as the way users move around my website. I can analyze the behavior of users on my website and modify the presentation of the website accordingly.
• Retail: Another excellent example of behavioral research is retail marketing. In a retail showroom, the customer might walk in with two decision mindsets. One is that he knows the product he wants to buy. And second is that he will browse around and make the decision. The one who is browsing, is our target customer when conducting behavioral research. This customer will tell us what people look for when browsing for a product. Such customers will give insights with regards to better catalog, more point of purchase material, better pricing, or whatever decision the firm has to take to make the customer buy their product.

Thus, behavioral market research requires a lot of primary market observation and analysis. Like any other typical market research scenario, the data received after behavioral research can be massive and the analysis needs to be specific and precise to obtain the correct results.

FAQs

What are examples of behavioral research?

Behavior research is exemplified in settings like online platforms, where tools like Google Analytics track user behavior, and retail environments, where customer browsing and purchasing behaviors are studied.

What type of research is behavioral research?

It is a type of empirical research, studying observable behavior in order to gain insights about motivations, preferences, and patterns.

What is the aim of behavioral research?

Its aim is to understand and predict human behavior, often with a goal of applying this understanding in fields like marketing, psychology, and social sciences.

Why is behavior important in research?

Behavior is important in research as it provides real, observable data about how individuals act and react in different situations, offering insights that can guide decision-making in various fields.

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