It is significant how many papers and presentations at the annual SA Marketing Research Association (SAMRA) convention held a week ago, focused on neuro-psychology and how the brain is becoming an important part of new research into tracking how consumers behave. Caxton Director, Noel Coburn, who flew in from the UK for his presentation, went into the science of the brain and how our thinking and behavioural planning affects the consumer's mind. He spoke at length about strides being made in tracking consumer behaviour by studying how the mind works in thinking and consumer behaviour, with neuro-scientists and psychologists doing studies at leading universities around the globe, such as Harvard. "Ten years ago you couldn't have ideas about the brain, but now with the technology that exists, it's time to start looking at how the brain works in terms of marketing science as well," he said. Coburn urged marketers and researchers to start their own "brain investigations". A keynote speech was that of Professor Flemming Hansen of Copenhagen Business School on: 'Emotions in Consumer Choice of Brands - Empirical findings supporting it' which tracked a number of case studies currently being done. Another significant paper was that delivered by Neil Higgs of Research Surveys, who said that there is a new understanding about how we make decisions and a rise in mind, body and soul thinking and looking at the "whole" person, not just an amorphous mass of consumers. This new science of 'neuro-marketing' or using psychologists to unpack and drive consumer research is a growing trend. Enjoy! Louise Marsland, editor, editor@bizcommunity.com