Importance of Brain Reward System in Neuromarketing

Abstract

Neuromarketing is a relatively new concept. It is simply focused on the relationship between consumer behavior and the brain. For this purpose, it analyzes various customer behaviors towards the product and purchase by using various brain imaging techniques and behavioral methodology. Some limbic structures of brain such as ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus acumbens (NAc), and amygdala have a link to prefrontal cortex (PFC) by dopaminergic mesocorticolimbic pathway. This functional link is called brain reward system (BRS). BRS has a crucial role in the decision-making process of humans during shopping as well as addiction processes of brain. Studies investigating BRS in neuromarketing are very limited. In the chapter, working principles of BRS in neuromarketing and association with human shopping behaviors and shopping addiction/dependence has been investigated and discussed.