Consumer Attitude Formation and Change

CHAPTEREIGHT

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.

Learning Objectives

1. To Understand What Attitudes Are, How They Are Learned, as Well as Their Nature and Characteristics.

2. To Understand the Composition and Scope of Selected Models of Attitudes.

3. To Understand How Experience Leads to the Initial Formation of Consumption‐Related Attitudes.

4. To Understand the Various Ways in Which Consumers’Attitudes Are Changed.

5. To Understand How Consumers’ Attitudes Can Lead to  Behavior and How Behavior Can Lead to Attitudes.

2Chapter Eight Slide

What Is Your Attitude Toward the Product Advertised? What Is Your Attitude Toward the Ad Itself? Are the Two Attitudes Similar or Different?

3Chapter Eight Slide

You May Have Liked the Product but Disliked the Ad or Vice Versa

4Chapter Eight Slide

Attitude

A learned predisposition to

behave in a consistently favorable or

unfavorable manner with respect to a

given object.

5Chapter Eight Slide

These attitudes have been learned and guide our behavior toward the object

What Are Attitudes?

• The attitude “object”– first is that we must clearly define the object 

which we are discussing or measuring the attitude toward

• Attitudes are a learned predisposition – attitudes are learned, either through direct 

experience or from others

• Attitudes have consistency – not necessarily permanent and can change 

over time

• Attitudes occur within a situation– some situations made you accommodate 

your attitudes towards it

6Chapter Eight Slide

What Information Does This Ad Provide to AssistConsumers in Forming Attitudes Toward 

the Saturn Vue Hybrid?

7Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

It is Stylish, Safe, and Good for the Environment

8Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Structural Models of Attitudes

• Tri‐component Attitude Model

• Multi‐attribute Attitude Model

• The Trying‐to‐Consume Model

• Attitude‐Toward‐the‐Ad Model

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. 9Chapter Eight Slide

Cognition

A Simple Representation of the Tricomponent Attitude Model ‐ Figure 8.3 

10Chapter Eight Slide

The Tri‐component Model

• Cognitive (think) 

• Affective

• Conative

What you know or think about an object 

The knowledge and perceptions that are acquired by a combination of direct experience with the attitude object and related information from various sources 

The knowledge you form becomes a belief

Components

11Chapter Eight Slide

The Tricomponent Model

• Cognitive

• Affective (feel)

• Conative

A consumer’s emotions or feelings about a particular product or brand 

How you feel about a brand, the emotions you have toward it. Good or Bad

Components

12Chapter Eight Slide

The Tricomponent Model

• Cognitive

• Affective

• Conative (Do)

The likelihood or tendency that an individual will undertake a specific action or behave in a particular way with regard to the attitude object

One of the most important is your intention to buy a certain object.

Components

13Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Discussion Questions

• Explain your attitude toward your college/university based on the tri‐component attribute model.  

• Be sure to isolate the cognitive, affective, and conativeelements.

14Chapter Eight Slide

what do you like and not like?

how does this influence what you do?

MultiattributeMultiattributeAttitude Attitude ModelsModels

Attitude models that examine the

composition of consumer attitudes in terms of selected product attributes or

beliefs.

15Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Multiattribute Attitude Models

• The attitude‐toward‐object model

• The attitude‐toward‐behavior model

• Theory‐of‐reasoned‐action model

• Attitude is function of the presence of certain beliefs or attributes (features)– Buying a home.

• Useful to measure attitudes toward product and service categories or specific brands.

Types

16Chapter Eight Slide

Multiattribute Attitude Models

• The attitude‐toward‐object model

• The attitude‐toward‐behavior model

• Theory‐of‐reasoned‐action model

• Is the attitude toward behaving or acting with respect to an object, rather than the attitude toward the object itself 

• Corresponds closely to actual behavior

Types

17Chapter Eight Slide

Consumer Characteristics, Attitude, and Online Shopping

18Chapter Eight Slide

online shopping

experience

benefits of online shopping, including effectiveness,

convenience, information, safety, service, delivery

speed, web design, selection, and familiarity

with company name

Multi‐attribute Attitude Models

• The attitude‐toward‐object model

• The attitude‐toward‐behavior model

• Theory‐of‐reasoned‐action model

• Includes cognitive, affective, and conative components

• Includes subjective norms in addition to attitude

Types

19Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

A Simplified Version of the Theory of Reasoned Action ‐ Figure 8.5 

20Chapter Eight Slide

consumer has beliefs about what others think they should do and also have differing levels of

how likely they will follow those beliefs

very influenced by the motivation to

comply with people in their group

Discussion Question

• Now use the theory of reasoned action to describe your attitude toward your college/university when deciding on which school to attend.

21Chapter Eight Slide

Theory of Trying Theory of Trying to Consumeto Consume

An attitude theory designed to account for the many

cases where the action or outcome is not certain but

instead reflects the consumer’s attempt to consume (or purchase).

22Chapter Eight Slide

addresses the fact that many people may want to purchase but in many cases they cannot

Selected Examples of Potential Impediments That Might Impact Trying ‐ Table 8.7

23Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

(Hindrance)

AttitudeAttitude--TowardToward--thethe--Ad ModelAd Model

A model that proposes that a consumer forms various

feelings (affects) and judgments (cognitions) as

the result of exposure to an advertisement, which, in

turn, affect the consumer’s attitude toward the ad and attitude toward the brand.

24Chapter Eight Slide

A Conception of the Relationship Among Elements in an Attitude‐Toward‐the‐Ad Model ‐ Figure 8.6 

25Chapter Eight Slide

Attitude‐Toward‐the‐Ad Model(An event poster)

26Chapter Eight Slide

Issues in Attitude Formation

• How attitudes are learned

– Conditioning and experience • two stimuli can be paired or linked together to form a learned response (classical / operant conditioning)

• personal experience or from experiences with friends or exposureto marketing influences

– Knowledge and beliefs• form attitudes based on the information that best suits them, information for the high need for cognition consumer, and imagesand spokespeople for the low need for cognition.

28Chapter Eight Slide

How Does a Favorably Known Brand Name Impact the Formation of Consumer Attitudes 

Toward a New Product?

29Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

There is Stimulus Generalization From the Lean Cuisine Brand Names to the New Product.

30Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Issues in Attitude Formation

• Sources of influence on attitude formation– Personal experience

– Influence of family

– Direct marketing and mass media

• Personality factors

31Chapter Eight Slide

How Does a Cents‐ Off Coupon Impact Consumers’ Attitudes?

32Chapter Eight Slide

New Customers Will Try the Product,Existing Customers will be Rewarded.

33Chapter Eight Slide

Strategies of Attitude Change

34Chapter Eight Slide

Attitudes & Formation : They are both learned, they are both influenced by personal experience,

personality affects both of them.

Changing the Basic Motivational Function

35Chapter Eight Slide

to change the basic need that a consumer is trying to fulfill

how the product is useful to us

how the product would make them feel more secure and confident

positively reflect the consumer’s values,

lifestyle, and outlook

satisfy the consumer’s “need to know” and help them understand more

Why and How Does This Ad Appeal to the Utilitarian Function?

36Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

The Product is Green and Works as Well or Better than Other Products.

37Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Which Lifestyle‐ Related Attitudes Are Expressed or Reflected in This Ad?

38Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Healthy Eating and Snacking Lifestyle

39Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

How Does This Ad Provide Information to Establishor Reinforce Consumer Attitudes?

40Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

It Raises the Question About UVA Rays and then Provides Information on Sun Protection.

41Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Discussion Questions

• What products that you purchase associate themselves with an Admired Group or Event?

• When does it personally influence your purchasing?

42Chapter Eight Slide

How Is Fiji Water’s Link to an Environmental Cause Likely to Impact Consumers’

Attitudes Toward Its Product?

43Chapter Eight Slide

They Might Have a More Favorable Attitude.

44Chapter Eight Slide

Attitude Change

• Altering Components of the Multi‐attribute Model– Changing relative evaluation of attributes

– Changing brand beliefs

– Adding an attribute • There may be an attribute that does not even exist (gummy vites)

– Changing the overall brand rating• a brand rates on a certain attribute.  Maybe a consumer thinks a brand is very expensive when in fact it is less expensive then several other brands.  

• Changing Beliefs about Competitors’ Brands

45Chapter Eight Slide

How Is This New Benefit Likely to Impact Consumers’ Attitudes Toward the Product?

46Chapter Eight Slide

The Consumer Will Have a More Positive Attitude Overall from the New Attribute.

47Chapter Eight Slide

How Is the Absence of an Ingredient Likely to Lead to a Favorable Attitude Toward a Product?

48Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

When It Was An Unfavorable Attribute

49Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Which Attitude Change Strategy Is Depicted in This Ad?

50Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Changing the Overall Brand Rating

51Chapter Eight Slide

How Is Valvoline’s Attempt to Change Attitudes Toward a Competing Brand Likely to Impact Attitudes Toward Its Own Brand?

52Chapter Eight Slide

By Showing Better Wear Protection

53Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Elaboration Elaboration Likelihood Likelihood

Model (ELM)Model (ELM)

Customer attitudes are changed by two

distinctly different routes to persuasion: a central route or a peripheral route.

54Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter Eight Slide

Elaboration Likelihood Model

55Chapter Eight Slide

effective on highly-motivated consumers. They will do the thinking

necessary to understand the information they are presented

including music, spokespeople, and bright packaging, work on lower-involvement consumers. Together, or alone, they create an attitude change

that results in a certain behavior.

Behavior Can Precede or Follow Attitude Formation

56Chapter Eight Slide

occurs after the consumer has done something

create an attitude around their behavior which is often based on dissonance or discomfort

related to the question we have after a behavior of

“Why did I do that?”

Issues in Attribution Theory

• Self‐Perception Theory– is the inferences or judgment as to the causes of your behavior 

(like winning an award)– Foot‐in‐the‐Door Technique

• the fact that if you say yes to something, you will probably say yes to a similar act later on to remain consistent in your behavior.

• Attributions toward Others – always ask ourselves “why” about other’s act, we question their motives

• Attributions toward Things – Do you sometimes ask yourself, “Why do I like this software or that movie so much?”

57Chapter Eight Slide

Issues in Attribution Theory

• How We Test Our Attributions

– Distinctiveness • decide that if something happens when we use this product

– Consistency over time • see if we have the same reaction to behavior over time

– Consistency over modality• in different situations 

– Consensus • if others agree

58Chapter Eight Slide