Trolley Psychology Reading Answers

Mar 10, 2023

Trolley Psychology Reading Answers contains 13 questions, and it is a topic belonging to the assessment system of IELTS general reading test. Trolley Psychology Reading Answers has been taken from book called 101Helpful Hints for IELTS: Academic Module. In IELTS reading section, the nature of questions is such that candidates have to read a passage and provide answers from therein, it is to be attempted within 20 minutes. Trolley Psychology Reading Answers contains the questions that ask the candidates to choose the best option, ascertain the veracity of the information etc. To practice more reading papers like that the candidates can refer to IELTS Reading Practice test.

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Section 1

Read the passage to answer the questions that follow

Trolley Psychology Reading Answers

Have you ever noticed that when you walk into a shop, you tend to look over or veer to the right? Consumer psychologists say this is a classic biological trait, linked to most people's preference for using their right hand. While it's something we tend to do in shops as well as places such as museums and art galleries, supermarkets really capitalise on this. It's to the right where you'll see temporary displays of products designed to grab your attention and entice you to make a snap purchase. This can be anything from fresh flowers and chocolates to umbrellas if it's been raining.

Consumer psychologist and Senior Lecturer at Deakin University Dr Paul Harrison says the location of a store's entry point has a significant effect on how people shop, and even how much they spend. 'Right-hand side entries favour anti-clockwise movement through the shop, while left-hand side entries favour clockwise patterns. Research in the US has shown that shoppers who travel in an anti-clockwise direction will spend, on average, two dollars more per trip than clockwise shoppers.'

Contrary to popular belief, once we're in the store most of us don't weave up and down the aisles in an orderly way. Research conducted on shopper movement patterns in-store suggests people travel to some aisles only, and rarely in a systematic up-and-down pattern. Even longer, planned shopping trips follow this pattern.

The most common path to travel in-store is around the outside perimeter, dipping in and out of the aisles as needed. As a result, the ends of each aisle are the most profitable part of the store. Product manufacturers pay big dollars to place their products there to grab shoppers' attention, and it's usually familiar brands that provide the greatest profit margin.

Many supermarkets micro-manage the various fresh food sections of the shop. Instead of approaching the shop as a single entity, they separate areas into particular zones and have developed different marketing plans for each of these areas. These anchor departments usually include fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, and the bakery- and all are designed to give shoppers a sense of individual difference. Research indicates consumers will spend more time in the supermarket because of these different zones.

Ever walked into a big supermarket just to buy some bread and milk and found yourself leaving with a basket of additional items? A classic retailing trick is to locate the milk and bread at the very back of the store (often at either end) to encourage short-term shoppers to walk right through the shop and be tempted by the other, more expensive products along the way.

According to Harrison, no matter what we might like to think, it's human nature to be attracted to a bargain. 'Although we think we know we're being manipulated, we tend to fall for it anyway.' Even the word 'special' plays on our subconscious. 'Just the word sets off a psychological process in your mind where if something is labelled "special" we think it must be good. It also feeds into a theory known as the scarcity effect. This is where we think that if it's on special, then it must only be available at this shop or for a short time, and we afford it more value than the products around it.'

Soups and dressings often involve long buy times because of the sometimes-confusing variety of options on offer. As a result, long buy- time products are placed where shoppers will not feel hurried, crowded or that they're getting in the way of other customers while they work out what they're going to buy. These product areas will often be clearly marked out in a separate area.

Take a list. People who shop with a list tend to spend less.

Shop alone. People who shop as a couple tend to put more in their trolley, as each person will have their own ideas about what's important and should be purchased.

Avoid big supermarkets. Don't shop at a big supermarket if you just want to drop in and pick up a few things-you're much better off in a small store. It takes more effort to get in and out of a big supermarket, and as a result you may feel the need to stock up once you're in there.

Eat before you shop. Don't shop when you're hungry-it's a sure-fire way to end up with a trolley full of unnecessary purchases.

Section 2

Solution with Explanation
Question 28-33:
Choose the appropriate letters A – D
Write your answers in boxes 28-33 on your answer sheet.

Shoppers generally move

(A) Anti-clockwise around a shop
(B) Clockwise around a shop
(C) Around the edge and go down the aisles when they want something
(D) Up one aisle down the next

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: The most common path to travel in-store is around the outside perimeter, dipping in and out of the aisles as needed
Keyword: aisles, needed
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, 2nd line
Explanation: the expression around and outside the perimeter means around the edge. So, shoppers are traveling around the edge and dipping in aisles as needed. Here, dipping in means going down and as needed would mean if they want something.

Why are essential, everyday items generally found at the back of the shop?

(A) Its easier for staff to restock
(B) It tempts you to buy more as you walk through the shop
(C) Walking through is a good exercise for the customer
(D) Its cooler at the back and better for fresh food

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: A classic retailing trick is to locate the milk and bread at the very back of the store (often at either end) to encourage short-term shoppers to walk right through the shop and be tempted by the other, more expensive products along the way.
Keyword: back of the store, tempted
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, 3rd & 4th line
Explanation: Milk and bread are everyday items because we eat them everyday. Now the supporting sentence uses this example where milk and bread are kept at the back. This means everyday items are kept in the back so that shoppers will have to walk through the shop. This will tempt them to buy more products.

Why are there different fresh food sections in the supermarket?

(A) To make you feel you are visiting more than one shop
(B) To make you think the staff are experts in these sections
(C) To provide extra customer service
(D) To create a stronger aroma

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: These anchor departments usually include fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, and the bakery- and all are designed to give shoppers a sense of individual difference.
Keyword: fresh, individual difference
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, 4th & 5th line
Explanation: The supporting sentence talks about sections of fresh fruit, meat, dairy and bakery - all of them are foods as well. It says that all these are designed to give shoppers a sense of individual difference. This sense of difference is meant to make one feel like they are visiting more than one shop.

The word ‘special’ in a supermarket specifically refers to:

(A) An item you believe must be worthwhile buying
(B) Items you think you cannot buy anywhere else
(C) Items you think might be available for only a short time
(D) All of the above

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Even the word 'special' plays on our subconscious. 'Just the word sets off a psychological process in your mind where if something is labelled "special" we think it must be good. It also feeds into a theory known as the scarcity effect. This is where we think that if it's on special, then it must only be available at this shop or for a short time, and we afford it more value than the products around it.'
Keyword: special
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, 3rd line
Explanation: The supporting sentence says that the word ‘special’ in supermarkets has many connotations. It lists three of them:

The thought of them being good
It must be only available at this shop
It is available for a short time

What makes us spend a long time in certain sections of a supermarket?

(A) Price and freshness
(B) Price and Quality
(C) Brand and who we are buying for
(D) Too much choice and who we are buying for

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Soups and dressings often involve long buy times because of the sometimes-confusing variety of options on offer.
Keyword: long, time
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8, 1st line
Explanation: The supporting sentence takes an example of soups and dressings to explain the case of spending a long time in certain sections of supermarkets. It says that because of the variety of options on offer the time taken to buy is long. So, too much choice is one of the factors. It can be understood from the example of dressing that apart from too much choice who we are buying for will also affect time.

Which of the following will make you spend more?

(A) Taking a shopping list
(B) Shopping alone
(C) Shopping in a big store
(D) Having a meal before you go to the supermarket.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Don't shop at a big supermarket if you just want to drop in and pick up a few things-you're much better off in a small store. It takes more effort to get in and out of a big supermarket, and as a result you may feel the need to stock up once you're in there.
Keyword: big, supermarket
Keyword Location: Paragraph 11, 3rd line
Explanation: Shopping in a big store will make you shop more. The supporting sentence says that it takes more effort to get in and out of a big supermarket so people tend to stock up. This stocking up refers to shopping more because to stock up you need to buy huge quantities of stuff and several varieties of items.

Questions 34-40:
Do the following Statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 34-40 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE, if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE, if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN, if there is no information on this

People spend millions of dollars in supermarkets

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Supporting Sentence: Consumer psychologist and Senior Lecturer at Deakin University Dr Paul Harrison says the location of a store's entry point has a significant effect on how people shop, and even how much they spend.
Keyword: spend
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, 3rd line
Explanation: The passage just talks about people tending to spend more and how supermarkets capitalise on psychology to maximise their revenue. No reference to the amount spent in supermarkets is made let alone millions.

People tend to spend more than they intended in supermarkets

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Supporting Sentence: Take a list. People who shop with a list tend to spend less.
Keyword: spend, less
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, 1st line
Explanation: The only reference to tendency of spending is that shoppers with a list spend less but no general reference to all shoppers has been made. So, it can't be concluded that people tend to spend more than they intended. It might be true but the passage doesn’t talk about it.

Bread and milk are usually more expensive than other items in the store.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: A classic retailing trick is to locate the milk and bread at the very back of the store (often at either end) to encourage short-term shoppers to walk right through the shop and be tempted by the other, more expensive products along the way.
Keyword: milk, bread, expensive
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, 3rd, 4th & 5th line
Explanation: The supporting sentence in its example of bread and milk specifically mentions that shoppers are tempted by the other more expensive products. In this example, bread and milk are mentioned by the name which means the expression other doesn't include them. So, its other products which are more expensive, not bread and milk.

You will usually save money by going on one big shopping trip, less frequently

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: While this is logically true no reference regarding this has been made in the passage.

Bread and milk are usually found together.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: A classic retailing trick is to locate the milk and bread at the very back of the store (often at either end) to encourage short-term shoppers to walk right through the shop and be tempted by the other, more expensive products along the way.
Keyword: bread, milk
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, 2nd & 3rd line
Explanation: The claim that bread and milk are usually found together is wrong. The supporting sentence uses the example of bread and milk together but it doesn't say that they are to be kept together. According to the supporting sentence, they can be kept at the either ends of aisle together as well as separately.

Left handed people tend to walk over to the left in a shop.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Supporting Sentence: Have you ever noticed that when you walk into a shop, you tend to look over or veer to the right? Consumer psychologists say this is a classic biological trait, linked to most people's preference for using their right hand.
Keyword: shop, hand
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, 1st &3rd line
Explanation: In the passage as well the supporting sentence the psychological connection of moving to the right is made with right-handed people. This does not naturally conclude that left handed people will move to the left. The passage makes no reference to left-handed people as well.

Most shoppers can’t resist a bargain.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: According to Harrison, no matter what we might like to think, it's human nature to be attracted to a bargain.
Keyword: bargain
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, 2nd line
Explanation: The supporting sentence clearly states that it is in human nature to be attracted to a bargain. If you are attracted to something by nature this means you can’t resist it.

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