1. Chapter 7
Attitudes

2. Attitudes
A lasting, general evaluation of people (including oneself), objects, advertisements, or issues.
Anything toward which one has an attitude is called an Attitude Object.
An attitude is:
Lasting because it tends to endure over time.
General because it applies to more than a momentary event.
Attitudes help us make all forms of choices such as:
Very product-specific behaviors, and
More general consumption-related behaviors.

3. The Functions of Attitudes
By Identifying the Dominant Function a Product Serves for Consumers - What Benefits it Provides - Marketers Can Emphasize These Benefits in Communications & Packaging.
Utilitarian
Reward and
Punishment
Knowledge
Need for Meaning,
Order & Structure
Value-Expressive
Consumer’s Values
or Self-Concept
Attitude
Functions
Ego-Defensive
Protect Person
From Threats

4. The ABC Model of Attitudes
Affect
Way a Consumer
Feels
Components of an
Attitude
Behavior
Person’s Intentions
to Do
Cognition
Consumer’s
Beliefs

5. Hierarchies of Effects
Standard Learning Hierarchy
ATTITUDE
Based on Cognitive Information Processing
Beliefs
Affect
Behavior
Low-Involvement Hierarchy
ATTITUDE
Based on Behavioral Learning Processes
Beliefs
Behavior
Affect
Experiential Hierarchy
ATTITUDE
Based on Hedonic Consumption
Affect
Behavior
Beliefs

6. Attitudes Toward the Advertisement
The Attitude Toward the Advertisement is Defined as a Predisposition to Respond in a Favorable or Unfavorable Manner to a Particular Advertising Stimulus During a Particular Exposure Occasion.
Determinants Include:
Attitude Toward Advertiser
Degree to Which the Ad Affects Viewers’ Arousal Levels
Evaluations
of the
Ad Execution
Itself
Mood Evoked by the Ad

7. Forming Attitudes
An Attitude can form in several different ways depending on the Hierarchy of Effects and how the attitude is learned.
It can occur because of:
Classical Conditioning, i.e. Attitude Object is paired with a catchy jingle.
Instrumental Conditioning, i.e. consumption of the Attitude Object is reinforced.
Complex Cognitive Process, i.e. teenager models behavior of friends and media figures.

8. Forming Attitudes Levels of Commitment to an Attitude
Internalization
Forming Attitudes
Identification
Levels of Commitment to an Attitude
Compliance
Consumers Value Harmony Among Their Thoughts,
Feelings, and Behaviors, and They are Motivated
to Maintain Uniformity Among These Elements.
Degree of Commitment
The Consistency Principle

9. Cognitive Dissonance and Harmony Among Values
States that when a person is confronted with inconsistencies among attitudes or behaviors, he or she will take some action to resolve this “dissonance”.
Theory focuses on situations in which two Cognitive Elements are inconsistent with one another.
Cognitive Elements can be something that a person believes about himself, a behavior he performs, or an observation about his surroundings.
Dissonance reduction can occur either by eliminating, adding, or changing elements.

10. Social Judgment Theory
Latitudes of Acceptance and Rejection
Assimilation
Attitude Anchor
Contrast
Social judgment theory assumes that people assimilate new information about attitude objects in light of what they already know or feel.
Latitude of
Acceptance
Latitudes of Rejection

11. Balance Theory
Considers Relations Among Elements a Person Might Perceive as Belonging Together and Desires the Relations Among the Elements in a Triad to be Harmonious, or Balanced.
A Person and His/ Her Perceptions (+ or - )
Triad
Some Other Person or Object
An Attitude Object
Marketers May Use Celebrities to Endorse Products to Achieve Balance.

12. Multiattribute Attitude Models
Models Assume That a Consumer’s Attitude (Evaluation) of an Attitude Object Will Depend on the Beliefs He or She Has About Several or Many Attributes of the Object.
Attributes
Beliefs
Importance
Weights

13. The Fishbein Model
The Fishbein Model is the Most Influential Multiattribute Model and It Measures Three Components of Attitudes:
Salient Beliefs
About
the Object That
Are Considered
During Evaluation
Object-Attitude
Linkages, or The
Probability That a
Particular Object Has
an Important
Attribute
Evaluation of Each
of the
Important Attributes

14. Fishbein Model
Formed by integrating (summing) the separate evaluations of the salient beliefs (ei), weighted by the strength of each beliefs (bi), to create an overall evaluation or attitude (Ao).
Ao = Sbiei

15. How Beliefs Are Acquired
Direct experience with product.
Information processing
information from outside sources (friends)
Vicarious experience
Inferences

17. Strategic Implications of the Multiattribute Model
Capitalize on
Relative Advantage
Strengthen Perceived
Product / Attribute
Linkages
Influence Competitors’
Ratings
Add a New Attribute

18. Attitude-Behavior Relationship
Weak empirical relationship between attitude and behavior
Why?
Overall evaluation of product (Ao) not tied to situational factors while behaviors, in contrast, always occur in a situational context or are highly influenced by the environment.

19. Using Attitudes to Predict Behavior
The Extended Fishbein Model is Called the “Theory of Reasoned Action” and Includes the Following Modifications:
Intentions
Versus
Behavior
Social
Pressure
Attitude
Toward
Buying

20. The Theory of Reasoned Action
Reflects the assumption that consumers consciously consider the consequences of alternative actions and choose the behavior which leads to the most desirable consequences.

22. Obstacles to Predicting Behavior in the Theory of Reasoned Action
Design
Locus of Control
Basic Assumptions
Correspondence
Time-Frame
Attitude Accessibility

23. Theory of Trying
States That the Criterion of Behavior in the Reasoned Action Model Should be Replaced With Trying to Reach a Goal.
Recognizes That Additional Factors Might Intervene Between Intent and Performance Such As:
Amount of Control Over Situation
Expectations of Success or Failure
Social Norms
Attitudes Toward the Process of Trying
Frequency of Past Trying of Behavior
Recentness of Past Trying of Behavior

24. Tracking Attitudes Over Time
Changes in Different Age Groups
Lifecycle, Cohort and Historical Effects
Tracking Attitudes Over Time
Attitude Tracking Programs Allow Researchers to Analyze Attitude Trends Over an Extended Period of Time. Some Dimensions To Include in Attitude Tracking Programs Include:
Scenarios About the Future
Future Plans and Confidence in the Economy
Identification of
Change Agents