A Cognitive Map-Based Representation for Consumer Behaviour Modelling

Human behaviour modelling is a prominent example of an area in which information processing and understanding remains a challenge. Among crucial problems of this domain are heterogeneity, multiplicity and uncertainty of information. Behaviour modelling benefits from methods that enhance understanding of dependencies between phenomena and form a comprehensive model over a collection of elementary information granules. If we consider analytical application, quantitative predictive modelling becomes obsolete, because it is unable to represent wealth of information and its structuring. Hence, there is a need for semantic knowledge modelling. In light of the above, we present a Cognitive Map-based modelling framework capable to represent decision making processes. The model assumes that motivational stimuli determine decision making outcome. In case of human decision making, needs play the role of motivational stimuli. A decision is an outcome of processing of human needs. In order to reflect this using a Cognitive Map-based model, we assume that concepts making a map correspond to various needs. In the paper, we present a processing scenario that applies a Cognitive Map of needs and a current state of personal stimuli to produce a decision. We also apply the model to real-world data in an experiment of mobile phone activity monitoring.