The document discusses closure experiences from sociological and psychological perspectives. It defines closure as the satisfactory conclusion to a product or service relationship where both parties feel satisfied. It notes that the customer life cycle is biased towards acquisition and usage, rather than closure. From a social context, it describes how closure was once familiar but is now avoided. Psychologically, theories of terror management, need for cognitive closure, peak end rule, and the remembering self vs experiencing self influence how people experience and remember closure. Closure experiences are also impacted by doubts that initiate the role exit process.

1. The Sociology and
Psychology of
Closure Experiences
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www.closureexperiences.com

2. 2
What
1. Define what a Closure Experience is
2. Why the customer life cycle is biased
3. The Social context of Closure
4. The Psychological impact of Closure
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

3. “The satisfactory conclusion to a product or
service relationship. Each party feeling
satisfied with the completed transaction, it
being a fair, just conclusion without
consequence.”
Closure
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

4. Any consumer experience can
be broken down into 3 stages
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

5. 1. 2. 3.
Any consumer experience can
be broken down into 3 stages
On-Boarding Off-BoardingUsage
The stable, committed
relationship between the user
and the service they use, or
the product they own.
It is the effort it takes to get the customer to
commit to the product or service relationship.
The start of the relationship.
It is the effort it takes to neutralise the
effects of the engagement. To complete
the agreed engagement. It is the
conclusion of the relationship.
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

6. On-Boarding Off-BoardingUsage
engagement
time
The stable, committed
relationship between the user
and the service they use, or
the product they own.
It is the effort it takes to get the customer to
commit to the product or service relationship.
The start of the relationship.
It is the effort it takes to neutralise the
effects of the engagement. To complete
the agreed engagement. It is the
conclusion of the relationship.
Starting
Experiences
Closure
Experiences
Fuelled by commerce Fuelled by society
Language of self actualisation Language of safety and security
the biased
customer
life-cycle
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

7. On-Boarding Off-BoardingUsage
Packaging that reveals the
beautiful product you have
bought
Advertising that attracts
you to a product or service
relationship
Marketing that
orientates you towards
the right decision
engagement
time
The stable, committed
relationship between the user
and the service they use, or
the product they own.
It is the effort it takes to get the customer to
commit to the product or service relationship.
The start of the relationship.
It is the effort it takes to neutralise the
effects of the engagement. To complete
the agreed engagement. It is the
conclusion of the relationship.
Starting
Experiences
Closure
Experiences
Fuelled by commerce Fuelled by society
Examples include…
T&Cs that lock down the
agreement between parties
Inactivity / dormancy. App not in
use. Product at back of cupboard
Withdrawal. Break the
contract.
Examples include…
Recycle. Break down the
product materials
Language of self actualisation Language of safety and security
the biased
customer
life-cycle
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

8. On-Boarding Off-BoardingUsage
Packaging that reveals the
beautiful product you have
bought
Advertising that attracts
you to a product or service
relationship
Marketing that
orientates you towards
the right decision
engagement
time
The stable, committed
relationship between the user
and the service they use, or
the product they own.
It is the effort it takes to get the customer to
commit to the product or service relationship.
The start of the relationship.
It is the effort it takes to neutralise the
effects of the engagement. To complete
the agreed engagement. It is the
conclusion of the relationship.
Starting
Experiences
Closure
Experiences
Fuelled by commerce Fuelled by society
The
interest
gap
Examples include…
T&Cs that lock down the
agreement between parties
Inactivity / dormancy. App not in
use. Product at back of cupboard
Withdrawal. Break the
contract.
Examples include…
Recycle. Break down the
product materials
Language of self actualisation Language of safety and security
the biased
customer
life-cycle
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

9. On-Boarding Off-BoardingUsage
Packaging that reveals the
beautiful product you have
bought
Advertising that attracts
you to a product or service
relationship
Marketing that
orientates you towards
the right decision
engagement
time
The stable, committed
relationship between the user
and the service they use, or
the product they own.
It is the effort it takes to get the customer to
commit to the product or service relationship.
The start of the relationship.
It is the effort it takes to neutralise the
effects of the engagement. To complete
the agreed engagement. It is the
conclusion of the relationship.
Starting
Experiences
Closure
Experiences
Fuelled by commerce Fuelled by society
The
interest
gap
the biased
customer
life-cycle
Examples include…
T&Cs that lock down the
agreement between parties
Inactivity / dormancy. App not in
use. Product at back of cupboard
Withdrawal. Break the
contract.
Examples include…
Recycle. Break down the
product materials
Language of self actualisation Language of safety and security
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

10. The customer life cycle is biased
There is a gap of interest
Consumers and industry in
codependent denial
The consequences are all around us
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11. The Social context
of Closure
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12. Life was hard,
El Ángelus. Jean-François Millet. CCUCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

13. death was familiar,
Ars Moriendi. Meister E.S.UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

14. heaven was an
attractive reward,
Belshazzar’s Feast. John MartinUCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

15. religion owned
the rule book to
get in.
A Burial at Ornans by Gustave Courbet. CCUCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

16. Comfort came with
industrialisation,
Eisenwalzwerk. Adolph MenzelUCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

17. and Heaven emerged
on earth for many.
Luncheon of the Boating Party. Pierre-Auguste RenoirUCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

18. Medicine learnt to
control death,
Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross.Thomas EakinsUCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

19. and hid it away.
Gross Clinic on display at the Army Post HospitalUCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

20. Freeing us to indulge
Heaven on earth
without end.
Chanel Shopping CentreUCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

21. Closure was
respected, familiar
and expected.
Closure is
distant, alien and
avoided
…and consumer
experiences have
mimicked this.
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

22. The Psychological
impact of Closure
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23. Ernest Becker
Denial of Death
Terror
Management
Theory
“most human action is taken to ignore
or avoid the inevitability of death”
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

24. Terror
Management
Theory
We are all in denial
that things end.
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

25. Terror Management Theory
Kasser and Sheldon
2000
Researchers attempted to
connect consumption to
Terror Management Theory
Liberation. M.C. Escher 1955UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

26. Terror Management Theory
Kasser and Sheldon
2000
“suggested that concerns
about mortality, although sub-
conscious, strongly influence
our behaviour and aspirations
about material goods and
economic status”
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

27. Terror Management Theory
Kasser and Sheldon
2000
“suggested that concerns
about mortality, although sub-
conscious, strongly influence
our behaviour and aspirations
about material goods and
economic status”
this impacts our relationship
with consumption
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

28. Need for Cognitive
Closure
Arie Kruglanski,
Donna Webster
1996
“people have a definitive need to seek
out information and find an answer to
ambiguous situations”
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

29. “people have a
definitive need to
seek out information
and find an answer
to ambiguous
situations”
Need for Cognitive Closure
Arie Kruglanski,
Donna Webster
1996
Liberation. M.C. Escher 1955UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

30. Need for Cognitive Closure
Permanence tendency Urgency tendency
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

31. We have varying
needs for Closure.
Need for Cognitive Closure
Arie Kruglanski,
Donna Webster
1996
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

32. Peak End Rule
“people judge experiences based on
their Peak (an intense moment of the
experience) and at their End”
Daniel Kaheman
1990
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

33. time
feeling
in-different
agony
joy
+peak
end
-peak
Peak End Rule
Daniel Kaheman. 1990
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

34. Peak End Rule
Daniel Kaheman. 1990
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

35. Closure is a powerful
memory moment
Peak End Rule
Daniel Kaheman. 1990
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

36. The Remembering Self
and the Experiencing Self
Daniel Kaheman
1990
“The experiencing self is the one that answers
the question “Does it hurt now?”. The
remembering self is the one that answers the
question “How was it on the whole?”
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

37. The Remembering Self
and the Experiencing Self
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015
“The experiencing self is the one that answers
the question “Does it hurt now?”. The
remembering self is the one that answers the
question “How was it on the whole?”

38. The Remembering Self
and the Experiencing Self
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015
We remember and experience
in 2 different modes

39. First Stage of Role Exit
Helen Rose Fuchs Ebaugh
1988
“doubts are often ignited from organisational changes, personal
burnout, a change in relationships, or the effect of some event.
These doubts are then reflected to peers or friends as cuing
behaviour.”
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

40. first doubts
cuing
behaviour
• Organisational changes
• Burnout
• Changes in relationships
• Events
negative reactions
of others
seeking out individuals
who will reinforce doubts
re-evaluation of the situation
and temporary halting of the
doubting process
negative interpretation of
subsequent events
seeking role
alternatives
further reinforcement
of doubts
positive reaction
of others
reinforcement of
doubts
Seek
alternatives
First Stage of Role Exit
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

41. Closure is started with
a doubt
First Stage of Role Exit
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

42. Marie Kondo Tidying Technique
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying
2010

43. Marie Kondo Tidying Technique
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying
2010
end
Or fear of the future
and/or attachment
to the past
start
touch each
one
do you
feel joy?
Your life is
cluttered with
products
gather items of
same category
reduce
clutter
No
Yes real joy? Yes
No
say goodbye
& wish the
product well
dispose of
appropriately
value and
respect your
product

44. Marie Kondo Tidying Technique
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015
‘thank you for giving me
joy when I bought you’
or
‘thank you for teaching
me what doesn’t suit me’
and let it go.
Respect the
products life
Thank it.

45. 45
6 Cognitive issues that effect
Closure Experiences
We are all in denial that things
end. This impacts our
relationship with consumption.
Terror Management Theory
We have varying needs for
Closure.
Need for Cognitive Closure
Closure is a powerful memory
moment.
Peek End Rule
We remember and experience
in 2 different modes.
The Remembering Self and the Experiencing
Self
Closure is started with a doubt.
First Stage of Role Exit
Respect the products life -
Thank it.
Marie Kondo Tidying Technique
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

46. 46
…recap
1. Define what a Closure Experience is
2. Why the customer life cycle is biased
3. The Social context of Closure
4. The Psychological impact of Closure
UCD15. Conference 23.10.2015

47. fin
www.closureexperiences.com
@mrmacleod