Field notes on behaviour
Why We Buy
How attention, habit, emotion and context shape everyday decisions.

Why We Buy
Why We Buy Who We Want to Be: Identity and Consumer Behaviour
Why some choices express who we are, where we belong and who we want to become—and how brands can use identity without stereotyping buyers.
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Why We Buy
Habits and Routines: The Unconscious Consumer
How much of a purchase is decided by routine before conscious thought ever gets involved, and what that means for building repeat behaviour.
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Why We Buy
The Power of Social Proof in Decision-Making
Why reviews, ratings and “best-seller” labels work on a subconscious level, and how to use social proof without tipping into manipulation.
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Why We Buy
How To Make Your Brand Top-of-Mind
What mental availability actually means, and the consistency across touchpoints that gets a brand recalled first when it matters.
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Why We Buy
Choice Architecture: Guiding Consumer Decisions
How defaults, framing and the number of choices on offer quietly shape a decision, and where the ethical line sits between guiding people and manipulating them.
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Why We Buy
The Role of Emotions in Purchase Decisions
Why emotional reactions usually outpace rational analysis in a purchase decision, and which emotional triggers marketers rely on most.
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Why We Buy
Designing Effective Decision Interfaces
Where friction and cognitive overload creep into a buying journey, and the design choices that remove them without limiting choice.
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Why We Buy
The Psychology of Value Perception
How framing, pricing and context change what a product feels worth, independent of what it actually costs.
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Why We Buy
Goals: the Hidden Drivers of Consumer Behaviour
The difference between fundamental and situational goals, and why the subconscious motivation behind a purchase often matters more than the conscious one.
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Why We Buy
The Power of the Autopilot: Understanding System 1 Decision-Making
Why quick, intuitive judgements drive most everyday purchases, and how familiar branding works with System 1 thinking rather than against it.
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Why We Buy
The Science of Consumer Behaviour
How cultural, psychological, social and economic factors combine to shape what we buy, and the four broad types of buying behaviour marketers should recognise.
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