Prof.C.Vignali PhD

Consumer Attitude Formation and Change

AttitudesAttitudes

A learned predisposition to behave in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a

given object.

What are Attitudes?

• The attitude “object”• Attitudes are a learned predisposition• Attitudes have consistency• Attitudes occur within a situation

Table 8.1 Examples of How Situations Might Influence Attitudes

Coppertone Oil Free Sunscreen

“It sounds like a good idea to use an oil free sunscreen when involved in summer sports activities.”

Active sports in the sun

Cannon Color Printers

“Now that they have gone down in price so much, it’s time for me to buy a color printer.”

Old PC printer ceases to work

Hilton Resorts and Casinos

“I worked hard; I earned a couple of days away to relax.”

Exhausted, time or a weekend get-a-way

Altoids Mints “I really need a strong mint after I drink a large cup of coffee.”

Bad taste in one’s mouth

PRODUCT/SERVICEPRODUCT/SERVICE ATTITUDEATTITUDESITUATIONSITUATION

Table 8.1 continued

Sports Illustrated for Kids

“He loves sports; I should get a one-year subscription.”

It’s my nephew’s birthday

Omega Seamaster Professional

“Now I have an opportunity to get the watch James Bond wears.”

Old wristwatch is lost

Claritin-D 24 Hour “I need something that really works. I’ve heard good things about Claritin.”

Summer allergy

PRODUCT/SERVICEPRODUCT/SERVICE ATTITUDEATTITUDESITUATIONSITUATION

Kraft Free Salad Dressing

“I really should try using more fat-free products.”

Going on a diet

Structural Models of Attitudes

• Tricomponent Attitude Model• Muliattribute Attitude Models• The Trying-to-Consume Model• Attitude-toward-the-ad Model

Figure 8.1 A Simple Representation of the Tricomponent Attitude Model

ConationConation

AffectAffect

Cognition

The 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– A consumer’s emotions or feelings about 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

Figure 8.2 A Consumer’s Belief System for Two Brands of Pocket Digital Organizers

PRODUCT

BRAND

ATTRIBUTES

BELIEFS

EVALUATIONS

POCKET DIGITAL ORGANIZERS

3Com PalmPilot

Ease of use Handwriting feature

PC backup Other features

Known to be a snap to use

A little effort to learn a few rules

Simple one button

Doesn’t have built-in drawing feature

(++++) (+++) (++) (-)

Figure 8.2 continued

PRODUCT

BRAND

ATTRIBUTES

BELIEFS

EVALUATIONS

POCKET DIGITAL ORGANIZERS

Casio Cassiopeia

Ease of use Handwriting feature

PC backup Other features

A longer learning curve

Easy, but a little learning

Some learning Has drawing and voice-record features

(+) (++) (++) (+++)

Table 8.2 Selected Evaluations Scale Used to Gauge Consumers’ Attitudes

toward Old Spice After Shave

GoodPositivePleasantAppealing

[1][1][1][1]

BadNegativeUnpleasantUnappealing

[2][2][2][2]

[3][3][3][3]

[4][4][4][4]

[5][5][5][5]

[6][6][6][6]

[7][7][7][7]

Compared to other after shave products,Old Spice is:

Table 8.3 Measuring Consumers’ Feelings and Emotions with Regard to Using Old Spice After

Shave

My face felt relaxedMy face felt handsomeMy face felt tightMy face felt smoothMy face felt suppleMy face felt cleanMy face felt refreshedMy face felt revivedMy face felt pamperedMy face felt renewed

[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

For the past 10 days you have had a chance to try Old Spice After Shave. We would appreciate it if you would identify how your face felt after using the product during this 10-day trial period. For each of the words below, we would appreciate it if you would mark with an “X” in the box corresponding to how your face felt after using Old Spice during the past 10 days.

[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

VERY NOT AT ALL

Table 8.4 Two Examples of Intention-to-Buy Scales

Which of the following statements best describes the chance that you will buy Old Spice the next time you purchase an after shave product?___I definitely will buy it.___I probably will buy it.___I am uncertain whether I will buy it.___I probably will not buy it.___I definitely will not buy it.How likely are you to buy Old Spice After Shave during the next three months?___Very likely___Likely___Unlikely___Very unlikely

Multiattribute Multiattribute Attitude Attitude ModelsModels

Attitude models that examine the composition of consumer attitudes in terms

of selected product attributes or beliefs.

Multiattribute Attitude Models

• The attitude-toward-object model– Attitude is function of evaluation of product-specific

beliefs and evaluations

• The attitude-toward-behavior model– Is the attitude toward behaving or acting with respect

to an object, rather than the attitude toward the object itself

• Theory-of-reasoned-action model– A comprehensive, integrative model of attitudes

Attitude-Attitude-Toward-Toward-Behavior Behavior

ModelModel

A model that proposes that a consumer’s attitude toward a

specific behavior is a function of how strongly he

or she believes that the action will lead to a specific outcome (either favorable or

unfavorable).

Theory of Theory of Reasoned Reasoned

ActionAction

A comprehensive theory of the interrelationship among

attitudes,intentions, and behavior.

Figure 8.3 A Simplified Version of the Theory of Reasoned Action

Beliefs that the behavior

leads to certain

outcomes

Beliefs that the behavior

leads to certain

outcomes

Evaluation of the outcomes

Evaluation of the outcomes

Beliefs that specific

referents think I should or should not perform the

behavior

Beliefs that specific

referents think I should or should not perform the

behavior

Motivation to comply with the specific referents

Motivation to comply with the specific referents

Subjective norm

Subjective norm

Attitude toward the behavior

Attitude toward the behavior

IntentionIntention

BehaviorBehavior

Theory of Theory of Trying to Trying to ConsumeConsume

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).

Table 8.5 Selected Examples of Potential Impediments That Might Impact on Trying

POTENTIAL PERSONAL IMPEDIMENTSPOTENTIAL PERSONAL IMPEDIMENTS“I wonder whether my fingernails will be longer by the time of my wedding.”“I want to try to lose fifteen pounds by next summer.”“I’m going to try to get tickets for a Broadway show for your birthday.”“I’m going to attempt to give up smoking by my birthday.”“I am going to increase how often I go to the gym from two to four times a

week.”“Tonight, I’m not going to have dessert at the restaurant.”

POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPEDIMENTSPOTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPEDIMENTS“The first ten people to call in will receive a free T-shirt.”“Sorry, the shoes didn’t come in this shipment from Italy.”“There are only three bottles of champagne in our stockroom. You better

come in sometime today.”“I am sorry. We cannot serve you. We are closing the restaurant because of a

problem with the oven.”

Attitude-Attitude-Toward-the-Toward-the-

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.

Figure 8.4 A Conception of the Relationship among Elements in an

Attitude-Toward-the-Ad Model

Exposure to an Ad

Judgments about the Ad (Cognition)

Beliefs about the Brand

Attitude toward the Brand

Attitude toward the Ad

Feelings from the Ad (Affect)

Issues in Attitude Formation

• How attitudes are learned• Sources of influence on attitude formation• Personality factors

Cognition Affect

Attitude

Strategies of Attitude Change

• Changing the Basic Motivational Function• Associating the Product With a Special Group,

Event,or Cause• Resolving Two Conflicting Attitudes• Altering Components of the Multiattribute Model• Changing Beliefs About Competitors’ Brands• The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

Functional Functional ApproachApproach

An attitude-change theory that classifies attitudes in terms of four functions: utilitarian, ego-defensive

value-expressive, and knowledge functions.

Four Basic Motivational Functions

• The Utilitarian Function• The Ego-defensive

Function• The Value-expressive

Function• The Knowledge Function

Utilitarian Utilitarian FunctionFunction

A component of the functional approach to

attitude-change theory that suggests consumers hold

certain attitudes partly because of the brand’s

utility.

Ego-Defensive Ego-Defensive FunctionFunction

A component of the functional approach to

attitude-change that suggests that consumers want to

protect their self-concepts from inner feelings of doubt.

Value-Value-Expressive Expressive FunctionFunction

A component of the functional approach to

attitude-change theory that suggests that attitudes

express consumers’ general values, lifestyles, and

outlook.

Knowledge Knowledge FunctionFunction

A component of the functional approach to

attitude-change theory that suggests that consumers

have a strong need to know and understand the people and things with which they

come into contact.

Altering Components of the Multiattribute Model

• Changing the Relative Evaluation of Attributes

• Changing Brand Beliefs• Adding an Attribute• Changing the Overall

Brand Rating

Elaboration Elaboration Likelihood Likelihood

Model (ELM)Model (ELM)

A theory that suggests that a person’s level of

involvement during message processing is a critical factor in determining which route to persuasion is likely to be

effective.

The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

Involvement

Central Route

Peripheral Route

Peripheral Cues

Influence Attitudes

Message Arguments Influence Attitudes

HIGH LOW

Why Might Behavior Precede Attitude Formation?

• Cognitive Dissonance Theory

• Attribution Theory

Behave (Purchase)Behave (Purchase)

Form AttitudeForm AttitudeForm AttitudeForm Attitude

Cognitive Cognitive Dissonance Dissonance

TheoryTheory

Holds that discomfort or dissonance occurs when a

consumer holds conflicting thoughts about a belief or an

attitude object.

Postpurchase Postpurchase DissonanceDissonance

Cognitive dissonance that occurs after a consumer has

made a purchase commitment. Consumers

resolve this dissonance through a variety of

strategies designed to confirm the wisdom of their

choice.

Attribution Attribution TheoryTheory

A theory concerned with how people assign casualty to events and form or alter

their attitudes as an outcome of assessing their own or other people’s behavior.

Issues in Attribution Theory

• Self-perception Theory– Foot-In-The-Door Technique

• Attributions Toward Others• Attributions Toward Things• How We Test Our Attributions

Self-Self-Perception Perception

TheoryTheory

A theory that suggests that consumers develop attitudes by reflecting on their own

behavior.

Defensive Defensive AttributionAttribution

A theory that suggests 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-Foot-in-the-Door Door

TechniqueTechnique

A theory of attitude change that suggests individuals

form attitudes that are consistent with their own

prior behavior.

Criteria for Causal Attributions

• Distinctiveness• Consistency Over Time• Consistency Over

Modality• Consensus