Selective retention

Selective retention:  People will forget much that they learn but will tend to retain information that supports their attitudes and beliefs. Because of selective retention,

we are likely to remember good points mentioned about competing products.

Selective retention explains why marketers use drama and repetition in sending messages to their target market. Remember inputs that support beliefs, forgets those that don‘t. Average supermarket shopper is exposed to 17,000 products in a shopping visit lasting 30 minutes-60% of purchases are unplanned. Exposed to 1,500 advertisements per day. Can‘t be expected to be aware of all these inputs, and certainly will not retain many.