Attitude Formation and Change
What is an attitude?
A learned predisposition to respond to an
object or a class of objects in a consistently
favorable or unfavorable way.
Attitudes are relatively enduring.
Attitudes are situation-related.
Functions of Attitudes
Utilitarian function
Ego-defensive function
Knowledge function
Value-expressive function
How do we form attitudes?
Three different paths to attitude formation:
Attitudes are created by first creating beliefs.
Consumer beliefs are the knowledge that a consumer
has about objects, their attributes, and the benefits
provided by the objects.
Consumer beliefs are created by processing
information--cognitive learning.
Forming Attitudes, continued
Attitudes are created directly.
Behavioral learning
Mere exposure
Attitudes are created by first creating behaviors.
Consumers respond to strong situational or
environmental forces, and after engaging in the
behavior, form attitudes about the experience.
Structural Model of Attitude
Tricomponent Attitude Model
Tricomponent Model
Cognitive component
The knowledge and perceptions that are acquired
by a combination of direct experience with the
attitude object and related information from
various sources.
Affective component
The emotions or feelings associate with a
particular product or brand.
Conative component
The likelihood or tendency that an individual will
undertake a specific action or behave in a
particular way with regard to the attitude object.
Measurement Models of Attitude
Multiattribute model
Fishbein and Azjen
Measures attitude score using consumers’ beliefs
and evaluations about attributes of the attitude
object.
Several different contexts in which attitude scores are
measured.
Attitude-toward-the-object model
Attitude-toward-the-behavior model
Multiattribute Model
Aj = ∑BijIi
Where:
i = attribute or product characteristic
j= brand
Such that:
A = the consumer’s attitude score for brand j
I = the importance weight given to attribute i by the
consumer
B = the consumer’s belief as to the extent to which a
satisfactory level of attribute i is offered by brand j
Understanding the Multiattribute
Model
All relevant product attributes, based on
consumers’ perceptions, need to be included
in the model to provide dimensionality.
Even though there may be several relevant
attributes, they are not generally equally
important. The importance weight of the
formula allows adjustment of the importance
of each attribute individually.
Understanding the Multiattribute
Model...
Beliefs represent the extent to which each
product offers satisfaction for the attribute in
question.
Compensatory model.
Advantages of Multiattribute
Model
Clearly shows what is important to consumers
about a given product.
Shows how well brands do relative to each
other.
Shows how well a specific brand does with
respect to attributes perceived as important to
consumers.
Weakness of
Multiattribute Model
Not a perfect predictor of consumer behavior
Lots of variables determine behavior in
addition to attitude:
Involvement
Friends
Family
Financial resources
Availability of product
Theory of Reasoned Action
 Extends multiattribute model; tries to
compensate for the inability of the
multiattribute model to predict behavior.
Assumes that consumers consciously
consider the consequences of alternative
behaviors under consideration and choose the
one that leads to the most desirable
consequences.
The outcomes of this reasoned choice process
is an intention to engage in a selected
behavior--behavioral intention.
Theory of Reasoned Action
B~BI = Aact(w1) + SN(w2)
Where:
B
BI
= a specific behavior
= consumer’s intention to engage in that
behavior
Aact
= consumer’s attitude toward engaging in that
behavior
SN
= subjective norm regarding whether other
people want the consumer to engage in that
behavior
w1 & w2 = weights that reflect the relative influence of
the Aact and SN components on BI
Simplified Version
Beliefs that
the behavior
leads to
certain
outcomes
Evaluation
of the
outcomes
Beliefs that
specific
referents think
I should or
should not
perform the
behavior
Attitude toward
the behavior
Motivation
to comply
with the
specific
referents
Subjective Norm
Intention
Behavior
Comparing A vs. Aact
Car (A)
Buying a New Car this
Year (Aact)
Moderately priced (+)
Gives me a mode of transportation (+)
Ordinary (-)
Will put me in financial difficulty (-)
Well-built (+)
Will lead to high upkeep costs (-)
Dependable (+)
Will cost more now than later (-)
Easily serviced (+)
Will lead to high insurance rates (-)
Attitude-toward-the-Ad Model
Very specific to understanding the impact of
advertising on consumer attitudes about a
particular product or brand.
Exposure to advertising affects attitudetoward-the ad and attitude-toward-the brand.
Attitude-toward-the-Ad Model
Very specific to understanding the impact of
advertising on consumer attitudes about a
particular product or brand.
Exposure to advertising directly affects
beliefs about the ad and brand, and feelings
about the ad.
Exposure to advertising indirectly affects
attitude toward the brand and attitude toward
the ad.
Exposure to ad
Judgments about
the ad (cognition)
Feelings from
the ad (affect)
Beliefs about
the brand
Attitude toward
the ad
Attitude toward
the brand
How Can Marketers
Change Attitudes?
Alter components of multiattribute model
Increase belief ratings for the brand
Increase the importance of a key attribute
Decrease the importance of a weak attribute
Add an entirely new attribute
Decrease belief ratings for competitive brands
Changing attitudes….
Change beliefs and attitudes through
persuasion
Elaboration likelihood model of persuasion
(ELM)
Motivation
to
Elaborate
High
Ability
to
Elaborate
Amount
of
Elaboration
Low
Central
Route to
Persuasion
Peripheral
Route to
Persuasion
Message
Arguments
Determine
persuasion
Peripheral
Cues
Determine
persuasion
Central
route
Communication
(source,message,
channel)
High-involvement
processing
Cognitive
responses
Belief and
attitude
change
Behavior
change
Low-involvement
processing
Belief
change
Behavior
change
Attitude
change
Attention and
comprehension
Peripheral
route
Changing attitudes...
Changing attitudes directly though behavior
Cognitive Dissonance Theories
Balance Theory
Social Judgment Theory
Attribution Theory
Balance Theory
Consumers strive for consistency between
interconnected attitudes.
Marketers can influence attitudes by creating
imbalance within the target of persuasion-motivates consumer to change one or more of
the interconnected attitudes to restore balance.
Social Judgment Theory
Consumers use attitudes as a frame of
reference to judge new information.
If high involvement:
Narrow latitude of acceptance
Wide latitude of rejection
Assimilation effect
Contrast effect
If low involvement:
Wide latitude of acceptance
Wide latitude of noncommitment
Attribution Theory
Consumers make inferences about behaviors,
assign causality--blame or credit--to events on
the basis of their or others’ behaviors.
In the process of assigning causality, form
attitudes.
Marketing implications:
Offer high quality products
Advertising should emphasize quality.
Moderate-sized incentives.