Attitudes

Chapter 7

The Power of Attitudes

Attitude: a lasting, general evaluation of people, objects, advertisements, or issues
Attitude object (AO) Help to determine a number of preferences and actions
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Functional Theory of Attitudes

Katz: Attitudes exist because they serve some function
Determined by a persons motives

Attitude functions:
Utilitarian Value-expressive Ego-defensive Knowledge

Marketers emphasize the function a product serves for consumers

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Smoking Attitudes
Norwegian ad: Smokers are more sociable than otherswhile it lasts.

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Fan Attitude Profiles

Die-hard, highly committed fans
Marketing: provide sports knowledge and relate attendance to personal goals/values

Unique, self-expressive game experience

Marketing: brand switchers who seek thrills wherever they can get them

Looking for camaraderie

Marketing: provide benefits related to smallgroup activities
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ABC Model of Attitudes

Three interrelated attitude components:
Affect Behavior Cognition

Hierarchy of effects
Relative impact/importance of attitude components depends on consumers motivation toward attitude object
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Hierarchy of Effects

Figure 7.1
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Hierarchy of Effects
Standard Learning Hierarchy
Results in strong brand loyalty Assumes high consumer involvement

Low-Involvement Hierarchy
Consumer does not have strong brand preference Consumers swayed by simple stimulus-response connections

Experiential Hierarchy
Consumers hedonic motivations and moods Emotional contagion Cognitive-affective model vs. independence hypothesis
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Discussion
Contrast the hierarchies of effects outlined in this chapter
How should marketers strategic decisions related to the marketing mix change depending upon which hierarchy is operative among target consumers?

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Contextual Marketing
Providing customers with information about competitors at the exact time when they are searching for details/shopping for a particular product category
WHENU.COM

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Discussion
One persons contextual marketing is another persons spyware
Is it ethical for marketers to track which Web sites you visit, even if by doing so they can provide you with information that might help you save money by buying a competing brand?

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Attitude Toward the Ad

We form attitudes toward objects other than the product that can influence our product selections We often form product attitudes from its ads
Aad: attitude toward advertiser + evaluations of ad execution + ad evoked mood + ad arousal effects on consumer + viewing context
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Ads Have Feelings Too

Commercials evoke emotion
Pleasure Arousal Intimidation

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Forming Attitudes
Classical conditioning Instrumental conditioning Cognitive learning/modeling

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Attitude Commitment
Degree of commitment is related to level of involvement with attitude object
Compliance Identification Internalization

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Consistency Principle
Principle of cognitive consistency
We value/seek harmony among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors We will change components to make them consistent

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Cognitive Dissonance & Harmony

Conflict of attitudes and behavior motivates us to reduce dissonance
We make them fit by eliminating, adding, or changing elements Explains why evaluations of products increase after purchase
Horse race experiment Marketers: post-purchase reinforcement
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Discussion
Think of a behavior someone does that is inconsistent with his or her attitudes (e.g., attitudes toward cholesterol, drug use, or even buying things to make him or her stand out or attain status)
Ask the person to elaborate on why he or she does the behavior, then try to identify the way the person has resolved dissonant elements

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Self-Perception Theory
We use observations of our own behavior to determine what our attitudes are
We must have a positive attitude toward a product if we freely purchase it, right? Low-involvement hierarchy Foot-in-the-door technique Low-ball technique Door-in-the-face technique
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Social Judgment Theory

We assimilate new information about attitude objects in light of what we already know/feel
Initial attitude = frame of reference Latitudes of acceptance and rejection
Assimilation and contrast effects Choosy mothers choose Jif peanut butter

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Balance Theory
Triad attitude structures
Person Perception of attitude object Perception of other person/object
Perception can be positive or negative

Balanced/harmonious triad elements

Unit relation and sentiment relation

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Alex

Figure 7.2: Balance Theory

Larry + Alex + +

Earring

Alex

Larry + Alex Earring

Earring

+
Larry + Larry +

Earring O

Alex

Larry

Earring
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Balance Theory (Contd)

Marketing Applications
Basking in reflected glory Unit relation with popular product = positive sentiment relation in other peoples triads Celebrity endorsers of products
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Discussion
Students often bask in reflected glory by taking credit for victories their teams earn over other colleges
Should students who just watch the games rather than play them take credit for their teams performance?

INSIDECAROLINA.COM

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Multi-attribute Attitude Models

Three elements
Attributes of AO (e.g., college)
e.g., Scholarly reputation

Beliefs about AO
e.g., University of North Carolina is strong academically

Importance weights
e.g., Stressing research opportunities over athletics
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Fishbein Model
Most influential multi-attribute model Three components of attitudes
Salient beliefs about AO Object-attribute linkages Evaluation of each important attribute

Aijk = ijkIik
Overall Attitude Score = (consumers rating of each attribute for all brands) x (importance rating for that attribute)
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Saundras College Decision

Beliefs () Attribute Acad rep All women Import (I) 6 7 Smith 8 9 Princeton 9 3 Rutgers 6 3 Northland 3 3

Cost
Proximity Athletics Party Scene Library Attitude Score

4
3 1 2 5

2
2 1 1 7 163

2
2 2 3 9 142

6
6 5 7 7 153

9
9 1 9 2 131
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Figure 7.1 (Abridged)

Fishbein Model (Contd)

Marketing applications
Capitalize on relative advantage Strengthen perceived product/attribute linkages Add a new attribute Influence competitors ratings

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Extended Fishbein Model

Research: low correlation between reported attitude and actual behavior
We love commercials, yet still not buy!

Theory of reasoned action

Intentions vs. behavior
Conviction and past purchase behavior Behavioral intentions

Social pressure
SN = NB + MC

Attitude toward act of buying

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Obstacles to Predicting Behavior

Many researchers do not use Fishbein Model appropriately A few of the many obstacles (full list on pages 254-255):
Actual behavior vs. outcomes of behavior Outcomes beyond consumers control Voluntary vs. nonvoluntary acts across cultures Relative impact of SNs vary across cultures
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Trying to Consume
Theory of trying
Criterion should be trying to reach goal Intervening factors between intent and performance Several new components to account for act of trying

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Theory of Trying
Figure 7.3

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Discussion
Construct a multi-attribute model for a set of local restaurants
Based on your findings, suggest how restaurant managers can improve an establishments image via the strategies described in this chapter
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Tracking Attitudes over Time

Attitude-tracking program
More like a movie than a snapshot of attitudes GALLUP.COM Ongoing tracking studies
Gallup Poll or Yankelovich Monitor

Changes to look for

Changes in different age groups Scenarios about the future Identification of change agents
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