Attitude = Predisposition to evaluate an object or
product positively or negatively
General evaluation of people, objects, advertisement, etc.
No measurement per se possible but the outcomes
3 components: beliefs, affects and behavioural intentions
1st marketers need to know WHY an attitude is held and
2nd try to change/ influence it
Attitudes exist because they serve a function for the
person
UTILITARIAN FUNCTION
related to basic principles of reward and punishment

develop attitude
product is pleasure or pain
VALUE-EXPRESSIVE FUNCTION
attitudes that perform a value-expressive function;
express the consumer’s central values or self-concept –
highly relevant to lifestyle analysis
EGO-DEFENSIVE FUNCTION
attitudes formed to protect the person from either
external threats or internal feelings
KNOWLEDGE FUNCTION
attitudes are formed as a result of a need for order,
structure or meaning
often needed – person is an
ambiguous situation (confronted with a new product)
Attitude researcher traditionally assumed that attitudes
were learned in a predetermined sequence
- formation of beliefs (cognition), regarding an attitude
object, followed by an evaluation of that object (affect)
and then some action (behaviour)

Depending on the consumer’s level of involvement and
the circumstances, though, attitudes can result from
other hierarchies of effect
ATTITUDES
LEVELS OF COMMITMENT TO AN
ATTITUDE
1. Compliance
lowest level of commitment
attitude is formed because it helps in
gaining rewards/ avoiding punish.
from others; very superficial (likely to
change when behaviour is no longer
monitored)
2. Identification
when attitudes are formed in order
to be similar to others/ a group
advert. that relies on social consequ.

tendency to imitate
3. Internalization
high level of involvement, deep-
seated attitudes = part of a person’s
value system
difficult to change due to their
importance to the individual
One organizing principle of attitude formation is the importance
of consistency among attitudinal components – theoretical
approaches such as cognitive dissonance theory, balance theory
and congruity theory stress the vital role of consistency
Affect = the way consumers feel about an attitude object
Belief = person’s intention to do something with regard to an attitude
object (but intention does not always result in behaviour)
Conative = beliefs a consumer has about an attitude object

interraltion between knowing, feeling, doing
DEPENDS ON INVOLVEMENT LEVEL OF CONSUMER (extensive, limited or
habitual)
The standard learning hierarchy
The low-involvement hierarchy
The experiential hierarchy
INVOLVEMENT PARADOX – the less important product is for a consumer,
the more important are the MK-stimuli
Attitudes towards advertisement – 3 emotional dimensions: pleasure,
arousal and intimidation
Consistency principle: evaluation of an attitude object depends on
whether it fits with other related attitudes