Consumer Psychologist & Behavioral Marketing Scholar
Why do consumers trust some systems — and resist others?
I study the psychological, cultural, and technological forces that shape consumer decisions — from trust and fairness to algorithms, personalization, and market participation.
Researching the why behind consumer decisions to make marketing more predictive and effective.
Dr. Ronell Pugh
Scholar · Educator · Writer · Speaker
Currently Thinking About
“At what point does relevance stop feeling useful — and start feeling invasive?”
Research Note · Ongoing Inquiry
When Personalization Feels Personal — and When It Feels Like Surveillance
Personalization promises relevance, but consumers do not experience every tailored message as helpful. My current work examines where personalization intersects with cultural mistrust, transparency, psychological safety, and algorithmic trust.
Explore the DECODE research agendaResearch Agenda
Consumer psychology, trust, culture, algorithms, and the systems shaping marketplace behavior.
Explore my researchTeaching
Preparing students to connect behavioral science, marketing strategy, technology, and ethical judgment.
View courses & philosophyPublic Scholarship
Translating research into accessible ideas about marketing, technology, consumer behavior, and trust.
Read scholarly workCurrent Research Themes
Consumer Trust
How trust is built, broken, and rebuilt across marketplace systems.
Algorithmic Marketing
How targeting, personalization, and recommendation systems shape consumer response.
Behavioral Marketing
Applying behavioral science to make marketing more predictive, ethical, and effective.
Consumer Decision-Making
The cognitive, cultural, and social forces that influence marketplace choice.
Digital Equity
Fairness, representation, and psychological safety in data-driven systems.
First-Generation Founders
Trust, market participation, and the institutional realities facing emerging entrepreneurs.
Selected Scholarly Work
Current Scholarly Work
DECODE — Cultural Determinants of Consumer Engagement in Digital Environments
View detailsAlgorithmic Transparency, Personalization, and Consumer Trust
View detailsConsumer Psychology, Culture, and Marketplace Decision-Making
View detailsSpeaking & Public Scholarship
I speak on consumer psychology, behavioral marketing, trust, algorithmic systems, culture, entrepreneurship, and the future of marketing.
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