4. What is perception, and what methods do we use to perceive stimuli? For a marketing stimulus to have an impact, consumers must be exposed to it, allocate some attention to it, and perceive it.

Consumers need a basic level of attention to perceive a stimulus before they can use additional mental resources to process the stimulus at higher levels. Exposure occurs when the consumer is presented with a marketing stimulus. Attention occurs when the consumer allocates processing capacity to the stimulus. Attention is limited, selective, and divided, and may be focal or nonfocal. Consumers perceive a stimulus by using one or more of their five senses.