Análisis de la disposición al pago de agua potable a través del neuromarketing. Caso de estudio: ciudad de Cuenca 2024

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between willingness to pay (WTP) and the emotional responses of ETAPA's drinking water users. The sample consisted of 20 residents of the canton of Cuenca, who pay their drinking water bill with their own resources. Instruments suchas electroencephalogram (EEG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) were used to measure brain activity and emotional responses to economic offers classified according to their WTP. Participants were first asked about the values they were willing to pay, and then presented with a scenario where a state monopoly (ETAPA) imposed economic values. The results revealed statistically significant differences: economic proposals equal to or below the WTP generated positive emotional responses, while offers above the WTP were associated with negative responses. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating emotions into economic decision making related to natural resource conservation. The identified differences in brain activity patterns provide objective evidence of how emotions influence people's perceptions and behaviors towards these decisions. This highlights the need to design environmental policies that integrate emotional and rational aspects, ensuring greater acceptance and effectiveness. In addition, the practical implications of these results are analyzed, proposing future research that addresses these interactions in more diverse populations and in varied sociocultural contexts, thus broadening the understanding of their impact in different scenarios.