Chapter 7

Attitudes

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR, 8e
Michael Solomon

Chapter Objectives
When you finish this chapter you should understand why:

Its important for consumer researchers to

understand the nature and power of attitudes.

Attitudes are more complex than they first appear. We form attitudes in several ways. A need to maintain consistency among all of our
attitudinal components motivates us to alter one or more of them.

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Chapter Objectives (cont.)

We use attitude models to identify specific
components and combine them to predict a consumers overall attitude toward a product or brand.

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The Power of Attitudes

Attitude: a lasting, general evaluation of people, objects, advertisements, or issues

Attitude object (AO) Help to determine a number of preferences and

actions

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Functional Theory of Attitudes

Katz: attitudes exist because they serve some
function
UTILITARIAN FUNCTION:

VALUE-EXPRESSIVE FUNCTION:
Expresses consumers values or self-concept

Relates to rewards and punishments

EGO-DEFENSIVE FUNCTION: Protect ourselves from external threats or internal feelings

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KNOWLEDGE FUNCTION:

Need for order, structure, or meaning

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Functional Theory of Attitudes (cont.)

Marketers emphasize the benefits a product serves
for consumers

Example: study of football fans identified three

clusters:
Cluster Die-hard team fans Sports Marketers Strategy Provide greater sports knowledge Relate attendance to personal values Those who enjoy Publicize aspects of visiting teams, cheering for winning team such as sports stars Those who look for camaraderie
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Provide improved peripheral benefits (e.g., improved parking)

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Discussion
Imagine that you work for the marketing department
of your college or university and have segmented students into four different clusters, each representing one of the four functions identified by Katz.

Develop a marketing strategy based on each of the

four functions to motivate students to stay in school and complete their degrees.

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ABC Model of Attitudes

Attitude has three components:

Affect: the way a consumer feels about an attitude

object.

Behavior: persons intentions to do something with

regard to an attitude object.

Cognition: beliefs a consumer has about an

attitude object.

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Hierarchies of Effects
Impact/importance of attitude components depends
on consumers motivation toward attitude object

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Figure 7.1

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Hierarchy of Effects
Standard Learning Hierarchy Results in strong brand loyalty Assumes high consumer involvement Low-Involvement Hierarchy Consumer does not have strong brand preference Consumers swayed by simple stimulus-response
connections

Experiential Hierarchy Consumers hedonic motivations and moods Emotional contagion Cognitive-affective model versus independence
hypothesis
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Discussion
One persons contextual marketing is another
persons spyware

Is it ethical for marketers to track which Web sites

you visit, even if by doing so they can provide you with information that might help you save money by buying a competing brand?

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Attitude Toward the Advertisement

We form attitudes toward objects other than the
product that can influence our product selections.

We often form product attitudes from its ads Aad: attitude toward advertiser + evaluations of ad
execution + ad evoked mood + ad arousal effects on consumer + viewing context

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Ads Have Feelings Too

Commercials evoke emotion

Upbeat feelings: amused,

delighted, playful

Warm feelings:
affectionate, contemplative, hopeful

Negative feelings: critical,

defiant, offended

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Attitude Commitment
Degree of commitment is related to level of involvement with attitude object

INTERNALIZATION Highest level: deep-seeded attitudes become part of consumers value system IDENTIFICATION Mid-level: attitudes formed in order to conform to another person or group COMPLIANCE Lowest level: consumer forms attitude because it gains rewards or avoids punishments
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Consistency Principle
Principle of cognitive consistency:

We value/seek harmony among thoughts, feelings,

and behaviors

We will change components to make them

consistent

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Cognitive Dissonance and Harmony

Theory of cognitive
dissonance: when a consumer is confronted with inconsistencies among attitudes or behaviors, he will take action to resolve the dissonance

Example: Two cognitive elements about smoking:

I know smoking causes cancer I smoke cigarettes Consumer will resolve the dissonance by either
satisfying urge to smoke or stopping the behavior
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Discussion
Interview a student next to you regarding a behavior
that he or she has that is inconsistent with his or her attitudes (e.g., attitudes toward healthy eating or active lifestyle, attitudes toward materialism, etc.).

Ask the student to elaborate on why he or she does

the behavior, then try to identify the way the person has resolved dissonant elements.

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Self-Perception Theory
Self-perception theory: we use observations of our
own behavior to determine what our attitudes are.

FOOT-IN-THE-DOOR TECHNIQUE Consumer is more likely to comply with a request if he has first agreed to comply with a smaller request LOW-BALL TECHNIQUE Person is asked for a small favor and is informed after agreeing to it that it will be very costly. DOOR-IN-THE-FACE TECHNIQUE Person is first asked to do something extreme (which he refuses), then asked to do something smaller.
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Social Judgment Theory

Social judgment theory: we assimilate new
information about attitude objects in light of what we already know/feel Initial attitude = frame of reference Latitudes of acceptance and rejection Assimilation and contrast effects Example: Choosy mothers choose Jif Peanut Butter

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Balance Theory
Balance theory: considers relations among elements
a consumer might perceive as belonging together

Involves triad attitude structures: Person Perception of attitude object Perception of other person/object Perception can be positive or negative Balanced/harmonious triad elements Unit relation and sentiment relation

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Restoring Balance in a Triad

Alex wants to date
Larry; Alex has positive sentiment toward Larry

Larry wears earring;

Larry has positive attitude toward earring

Alex doesnt like

men who wear earrings; has negative sentiment toward earrings
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Figure 7.2

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Marketing Applications of Balance Theory

Basking in reflected glory:
consumers want to show association with a positively valued attitude object

Example: Consumers: college

football fans Attitude object: winning college football team

Marketers use celebrity

endorsers of products to create positive associations
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Discussion
Students often bask in
reflected glory of their colleges winning sports teams by showing team spirit or buying merchandise

How do colleges use

similar techniques among its alumni? What marketing strategies could be used to sell more merchandise?
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Multi-Attribute Attitude Models

Multi-attribute models: consumers attitudes toward
an attitude object depends on beliefs she has about several or many attributes of the object

Three elements Attributes of AO (e.g., college) Example: scholarly reputation Beliefs about AO Example: University of North Carolina is strong
academically Importance weights Example: stresses research over athletics
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Fishbein Model
Measures three components of attitudes:

Salient beliefs about AO Object-attribute linkages Evaluation of each important

attribute

Aijk = ijkIik Overall Attitude Score =

(consumers rating of each attribute for all brands) x (importance rating for that attribute)
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Saundras College Decision

Beliefs () Attribute Academic reputation All women Cost Proximity to home Import (I) 6 7 4 3 Smith 8 9 2 2 Princeton 9 3 2 2 Rutgers 6 3 6 6 Northland 3 3 9 9

Athletics
Party atmosphere Library facilities Attitude Score

1
2 5

1
1 7 163

2
3 9 142

5
7 7 153

1
9 2 131

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Table 7.1

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Marketing Applications of Multi-Attribute Model

Capitalize on relative advantage: convince
consumers that particular product attributes are important in brand choice

Strengthen perceived product/attribute linkages: if

consumers dont associate certain attributes with the brand, make the relationship stronger

Add a new attribute: focus on unique positive

attribute that consumer has not considered

Influence competitors ratings: decrease the

attributes of competitors

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Extended Fishbein Model

Theory of reasoned action: considers other elements of predicting behavior

Intentions versus behavior: measure behavioral

intentions, not just intentions

Social pressure: acknowledge the power of other

people in purchasing decision

Attitude toward buying: measure attitude toward

the act of buying, not just the product

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Obstacles to Predicting Behavior

Fishbein models weaknesses include:

Doesnt deal with outcomes of behavior, including

those beyond consumers control impulsive acts or novelty seeking

Doesnt consider unintentional behavior, such as

Doesnt consider that attitudes may not lead to

consumption

Doesnt consider the time frame between attitude

measurement and behavior

Doesnt differentiate between consumers direct,

personal experience, and indirect experience
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Theory of Trying
Theory of trying: measures the reasoned action
consumers take to reach a goal

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Figure 7.3

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Theory of Trying: Example of Consumer Trying to Lose Weight

Past frequency: How many times did he try to lose
weight?

Recency: Did he try in the past week? Beliefs: Did he belief it would be healthier? Evaluation of consequences: Will his girlfriend be
happier if he succeeded in losing weight?

Process: Would the diet make him feel depressed? Expectations of success and failure: Did he believe it
likely that he would succeed?

Subjective norms toward trying: Would loved ones

approve of his efforts to lose weight?
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Tracking Attitudes over Time

Attitude-tracking program:
increases predictability of behavior by analyzing attitude trends during extended time period

Ongoing tracking studies Gallup Poll Yankelovich Monitor

Click photo for Gallup.com

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Tracking Attitudes
Percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds who agree We must take radical action to cut down on how we use our cars.

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Figure 7.4

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Changes to Look For Over Time

Attitude tracking should include:

Changes in different age

groups

Scenarios about the future Identification of change

agents

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