What Brooklyn vicariously learnt

Brooklyn potty-training herself pleased us no end. We think she's picked the 'art' via what is termed vicarious learning. Pray, who was her teacher? Her elder brother Jaden, who she so dotes on! Come to think of it, there's so much Brooklyn's picked from her brother, and we think its because she sees him as her 'current' role model. Most often its the lovely li'l things she picks up, and then there are times she replicates her brother's stubbornness, or ways of protest, that aren't so nice.

As people, and as consumers, consciously and subconsciously, we're gluttons to learning. Our conscious cognitive learning as consumers is prompted by our assessments of high risk whilst considering a purchase. Our sub-conscious exertions happen when the brand in question isn't 'risky' enough to have us use our cognitive faculties.

In teaching, so consumers learn, marketers have to make assessments of the purchase context both in terms of the level of consumer involvement, and incidence of decision making. Marketers who get the assessment right have greater changes at employing the right kind of teaching.

As for Alphy and me, we too have an equally important task at hand. As parents trying to teach, we will be called at times to engage with our kids in a formal manner. Other times, we will have to let go, sit back, and let vicarious learning take over.