In this episode of Nerdology, we tackle the growing trend of using facial coding in consumer research and why it might not be as reliable as it seems. Drawing on the groundbreaking work of neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett, we explore her Theory of Constructed Emotion and why emotions are far more context-dependent than we think. We also discuss why relying on facial expressions to interpret emotions can lead to misleading insights and highlight better alternatives—like implicit association testing and behavioral science frameworks—that can help us truly understand consumer reactions. If you're ready to rethink what you know about emotion in consumer research, this episode is for you!

Are we over-relying on measuring "liking" in consumer research? 🤔 After attending EuroSense in Dublin and SSP in Pittsburgh, I noticed a recurring theme: Liking a product doesn’t always mean it will succeed. It’s time to dig deeper into emotions, behavior, and the why behind consumer preferences. 💡 In my latest Nerdology episode, I dive into some of the big discussions from these conferences: 🎭 Thierry Worch questioned the reliability of liking measures and pushed for more focus on emotions, benefits, and wellbeing. 👀 David Thomson drove home the point that products fail not because people don’t like them enough but because they don’t trigger behavior change. 🐕 Holly Miller challenged the very idea of measuring emotions, using her research on canine happiness to suggest that what we call "emotion" might just be projections of our own beliefs. 🧠 As always, I’m advocating for leveraging behavioral science and implicit association measures—methods I believe are more reliable than facial coding or surface-level measures. But here’s the real question: Can we make emotion measurable in a way that drives better business decisions? I think we’re getting closer. If you’re interested in how consumer research is evolving beyond liking—and how behavioral science, implicit measures, and neuroscience fit into the mix—check out this latest nerdology episode! 🎙️

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