tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post3390879749164378186..comments2024-03-09T09:06:35.288+00:00Comments on Notes from Two Scientific Psychologists: The embodied cognition of Tesco's gendered toysAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16732977871048876430noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-23643028365190064082017-04-07T08:31:02.809+01:002017-04-07T08:31:02.809+01:00As most readers of this blog know, I'm writing...As most readers of this blog know, I'm writing a series of four books on Standard Operating Procedures for Small Technology Consultants.<a href="http://www.sopformat.com/" rel="nofollow">click to explore</a><br />Ahamedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16941590433247270275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-47163606384944361462013-05-22T13:14:06.003+01:002013-05-22T13:14:06.003+01:00Sure - I'm always interested to know if my gue...Sure - I'm always interested to know if my guesses can be backed up with data :)Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16732977871048876430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-17326514297239038602013-05-22T11:53:29.341+01:002013-05-22T11:53:29.341+01:00Thanks for the reply. I know a bit about HCI (I...Thanks for the reply. I know a bit about HCI (I'm not an expert though) and I get the feeling that a generic category search (e.g. gender) would come AFTER a more specific search in typical user behaviour... however I may just be projecting MY search habits onto the general populace... I am off to see if I can find any articles investigating this - would you like me to share links if I find any?<br />DAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-22871294020276345702013-05-21T15:05:39.864+01:002013-05-21T15:05:39.864+01:00I'm willing to believe that people search by g...<i>I'm willing to believe that people search by gender - but this is LEARNED behaviour, because we know that the shop categorises by gender</i><br />Of course it's learned, but the learning is mutual (see my above reply about the circular nature of what's going on). Tesco learns from us, we learn from Tesco, and we both change our behaviour as a result until we settle into a stable relationship that satisfies all the relevant constraints. (This is roughly the thesis of Andy Clark's books 'Being There' (the role of the environment in this sort of system) and 'Natural Born Cyborgs' (the role of the person)). <br /><br /><i>Also, without data on the frequency of gender-based searches against other categories e.g. "toy cars" I am not sure how you can come to the conclusion that gender-based searches are driving the marketing.</i><br />It's an educated guess. I'm assuming Tesco aren't evil but that their behaviour is in response to some information relevant to profit maximisation. Search engine data is just one obvious source. <br /><br />That said, I heard from a company on Twitter (<a href="http://tootsamacginty.com/" rel="nofollow">Tootsa MacGinty</a>) that search data on their site typically includes gender information and that this hurts them because they are trying to sell all their toys as unisex. They've added 'for boys' and 'for girls' to everything to catch the searches. This makes the gender search uninformative, potentially shaping consumer behaviour, but also making their site produce a less refined search than other sites, a potential cost again. <br /><br />So gendered searching does seem to be a thing. Another victory for theoretically driven speculation :)Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16732977871048876430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-18706582194430077362013-05-21T14:57:08.036+01:002013-05-21T14:57:08.036+01:00Confronted with a jillion toys on a website I supp...<i>Confronted with a jillion toys on a website I suppose some people will search for 'toys for girls/boys' as a conventional distinction, so it's circular. Consumer behaviour is both cause and result. But this behaviour has been shaped and reinforced by marketing, as it's got noticeably worse in the last few decades. </i><br />Indeed! One of the hallmarks of this kind of dynamical, embodied cognitive analysis is that kind of circular causation. Information flows both ways, so the relevant 'causal' factors live in the Tesco-Consumer system. <br /><br /><i>As you say, this 'research' excludes so much, including failing to find what you want, or stomping off in a huff to shop elsewhere.</i><br />Agreed, but my suggestion is that if this is all the information you have access to, then gendered labelling is a pretty rational solution to the task 'make money'. Information about these other factors is much harder to get into this kind of system, although not impossible with Twitter campaigns, etc.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16732977871048876430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-80048088232450338252013-05-20T13:17:58.440+01:002013-05-20T13:17:58.440+01:00I'm willing to believe that people search by g...I'm willing to believe that people search by gender - but this is LEARNED behaviour, because we know that the shop categorises by gender - same way we know to use quotes and Boolean operators on Google etc. Also, without data on the frequency of gender-based searches against other categories e.g. "toy cars" I am not sure how you can come to the conclusion that gender-based searches are driving the marketing... I would *expect* (note, I don't have any more data than you do about Tesco's search queries) that gender-neutral searches (e.g. "kitchen sets") are more common than very vague "boys toys" type searches, as most buyers have some sort of idea of what they're looking for, and the more wide gender-based querying would come later, as a result of not finding a suitable kitchen set that you want to buy. <br />DAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-77912721990367431322013-05-20T13:00:55.680+01:002013-05-20T13:00:55.680+01:00This is really interesting. This is a very plausib...This is really interesting. This is a very plausible explanation of Tesco's labelling policy - though I see even less justification for applying this to real-world shelves where you can visually scan much more easily. Confronted with a jillion toys on a website I suppose some people will search for 'toys for girls/boys' as a conventional distinction, so it's circular. Consumer behaviour is both cause and result. But this behaviour has been shaped and reinforced by marketing, as it's got noticeably worse in the last few decades. <br /><br />'We've always done it this way, everyone's used to it' isn't a good reason to carry on. Cf cigarette marketing, seatbelts in cars, slavery, women not having the vote etc.<br /><br />People may also search this way because they know NOTHING else about that child other than its gender and need some way of reducing the choice available. Too many birthday parties? Too many toys? <br /><br />As you say, this 'research' excludes so much, including failing to find what you want, or stomping off in a huff to shop elsewhere.<br /><br />Anonymous: Harmful: My children are given toys that don't match their interests, and are told their toy choices are 'wrong' both implicitly in shops, and explicitly by their peers policing the boundaries they see reinforced in marketing. Yes, I think this is harmful. Where do these people get off telling children which toys they are supposed to like?<br />Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15328155443064687967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-57249806703184014102013-05-20T12:21:55.224+01:002013-05-20T12:21:55.224+01:00Please define "science", "evidence&...Please define "science", "evidence" and "harmful"<br /><br />At least one of those is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? So, your point doesn't really hold water.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-88104628018802066032013-05-19T02:08:14.942+01:002013-05-19T02:08:14.942+01:00Where is the science here? Maybe Tesco knows its m...Where is the science here? Maybe Tesco knows its market better than you do. Where is the evidence that Tesco is doing something harmful?Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03474078324293158376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-62858277652373545912013-05-18T17:26:20.046+01:002013-05-18T17:26:20.046+01:00Pretty much none of the gender stuff is innate. Re...Pretty much none of the gender stuff is innate. Read Cordelia Fine's book 'Delusions of Gender' for an excellent review and critique of the 'evidence'. It's not that males and females are identical, but most of the specific psychological differences people talk about are non-existent. Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16732977871048876430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9192597712746432631.post-67532397916574024222013-05-18T14:47:54.169+01:002013-05-18T14:47:54.169+01:00I always wonder if some of this behaviour is so in...I always wonder if some of this behaviour is so innate that to go against it would be like trying to swim upstream. My wife says it this way, "pickling a brain in testorone has to have some debilitating consequences"bravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11348959171953411533noreply@blogger.com