Multidisciplinary Journal of Science and Technology

COGNITIVE AND NEUROECONOMIC MECHANISMS OF CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING IN DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS

Boltaeva Zinora

Associate professor, PhD “Management and Marketing” department, Alfraganus University

Keywords: Consumer cognition; Neuroeconomics; Digital marketing; Dual-process theory; Dopamine reward system; Algorithmic personalization; Cognitive load

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Abstract

Digital environment transforms consumer decision making in terms of cognitive load, reward processing and allocation of attention. Based on behavioral economics and neuroeconomics, this study will combine empirical evidence in neuroscience, marketing, and information systems studies and research to determine the impact of digital stimuli (personalization, scarcity cues, and algorithmic recommendation) on consumer cognition and neural valuation processes. The paper constructs a conceptual Neuro-Digital Decision Model (NDDM) based on the dual-process theory and the reinforcement learning theories using secondary data synthesis. The effects of cognitive overload, the activation of dopaminergic rewards, and personalization effects on digital environments are summarized in three integrative tables of documented empirical evidence. The results indicate that online platforms reinforce System 1 processing, reward circuitry activation, and dynamically restructure the preference formation. The paper has enriched consumer theory because it incorporates cognitive and neuroeconomic processes in adaptive marketing systems.

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