The consideration set is defined as the set of alternatives which a consumer considers in a purchase decision. As brand consideration is a precondition for choice the understanding of what determines brand consideration is important both from an academic and a practical perspective.

Based on the notion that consumers are self-regulating, volitional decision makers and capable of regulating their behavior according to their goals, Marcel Paulssen develops a self-regulatory model of consideration set formation. The model - tested and confirmed with two data sets in the product category cars - presents an answer to the question why consumers consider certain brands and analyzes the motivational structure that determines brand consideration.