Chapter 7

Consumer Attitude Formation

and Change

Consumer Behaviour
Canadian Edition
Schiffman/Kanuk/Das

Copyright 2006 Pearson

Education Canada Inc.
 Opening Vignette
The impact of SARS on tourism
- real risk was low, but perceived risk was high
- led to negative attitude towards Canada,
especially Toronto
Attitude change through
- value-expressive appeals
- use of celebrities

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-2

 Attitudes

A learned predisposition to behave in a

consistently favorable or unfavorable
manner with respect to a given object
A positive attitude is generally a necessary,
but not sufficient, condition for purchase
Mercedes seen as top of class but intention to
purchase was low

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-3

 Characteristics of Attitudes

Attitudes have an object

Attitudes are learned
Can unlearn
Attitudes have behavioural, evaluative and
affective components
Predisposition to act
Overall evaluation
Positive or negative feelings
continued
Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-4
 Characteristics of Attitudes

Attitudes have consistency

Attitudes have direction, degree, strength
and centrality
Positive or negative
Extent of positive or negative feelings
Strength of feelings
Closeness to core cultural values
Attitudes occur within a situation
Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-5
 Four Basic Functions of
Attitudes
The Utilitarian Function
How well it performs
The Ego-defensive Function
To protect ones self-concept
The Value-expressive Function
To convey ones values and lifestyles
The Knowledge Function
A way to gain knowledge
Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-6
 How are attitudes learned?
Classical conditioning - through past
associations
Operant conditioning - through trial and
reinforcement
Cognitive learning through information
processing
Cognitive dissonance theory
Attribution theory

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-7

 Attitude Models

Structural Models of Attitudes

Tri-component Attitude Model
Multi-attribute Attitude Model
Both assume a rational model of human
behaviour
Other models of attitude formation
Cognitive dissonance model
Attribution theory

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-8

 The Tri-component Model
Cognitive Component
knowledge and perceptions acquired
through direct experience and information from
various sources.
Affective component
Emotions and feelings about the object
Conative or Behavioural Component
Action tendencies toward the object

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-9

 Conation

Affect
Cognition

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-10

 Multi-attribute Attitude Models

Attitude models that examine the

composition of consumer attitudes in terms
of selected product attributes or beliefs.
Examples
Attitude-toward-object Model
Attitude-toward-behaviour Model
Theory-of-Reasoned-Action Model

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-11

 Attitude-toward-object model
Attitude is function of evaluation of
product-specific beliefs and evaluations
n
Ao= WiXib
i=1
Where:
Ao= Attitude towards the object O
Wi = importance of attribute i
Xib = belief that brand b has a certain level of
attribute I
continued
Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-12
 Theory of Reasoned Action

A comprehensive theory of the interrelationship

among attitudes, intentions, and behaviour

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-13

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-14
 Attitude-Toward-Behaviour
Model
A consumers attitude toward a specific
behaviour is a function of how strongly he
or she believes that the action will lead to a
specific outcome (either favorable or
unfavorable).

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-15

 Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Holds that discomfort or dissonance occurs

when a consumer holds conflicting thoughts
about a belief or an attitude object.
Post-purchase Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance that occurs after a
consumer has made a purchase commitment

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-16

 Why Might Behaviour Precede
Attitude Formation?
Cognitive
Dissonance Behave (Purchase)
Theory
Attribution
Theory
Form Attitude Form Attitude

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-17

 Attribution Theory
Examines how people assign casualty to
events and form or alter their attitudes as an
outcome of assessing their own or other
peoples behaviour.
Examples
Self-perception Theory
Attribution toward others

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-18

 Self-Perception Theory

Attitudes developed by reflecting on

their own behaviour
Judgments about own behaviour
Internal and external attributions

Continued

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-19

 Self-Perception Theory

Consumers are likely to accept credit for

successful outcomes (internal attribution)
and to blame other persons or products for
failure (external attribution).
Foot-In-The-Door Technique

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-20

 How We Test Our Attributions

Distinctiveness
Consistency over time
Consistency over modality
Consensus

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-21

Attitudes and Marketing Strategy

Appeal to motivational functions of

attitudes
Associate product with a special group,
cause or event
Resolve conflicts among attitudes
Influence consumer attributions
Continued

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-22

Attitudes and Marketing Strategy

Alter components of the attitude

Change relative evaluation of attributes
Change brand beliefs
Add an attribute
Change overall brand evaluation
Change beliefs about competitors brands
Continued

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-23

Attitudes and Marketing Strategy

Change affect first through classical

conditioning
Change behaviour first through operant
conditioning

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 7-24