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
7-2

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
7-3

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

7-4

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
7-5

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
7-6

Hierarchy of Effects

Figure 7.1
7-7

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

Experiential Hierarchy
Consumers hedonic motivations and moods
Emotional

7-8

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?

7-9

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

7-10

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?

7-11

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
7-12

Ads Have Feelings Too

Commercials evoke emotion
Pleasure
Arousal
Intimidation

7-13

Forming Attitudes
Classical conditioning
Instrumental conditioning
Cognitive learning/modeling

7-14

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

7-15

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

7-16

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
7-17

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
7-18

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

7-19

Social Judgment Theory

new information about attitude objects in
light of what we already know/feel
Initial attitude = frame of reference
Latitudes of acceptance and rejection

7-20

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

7-21

Alex

Figure 7.2: Balance Theory

Larry

Earring

+
Alex
+

Alex

Larry

+
Alex

+
Larry

Earring

+
Earring

+
Larry

Earring

Alex

Larry

Earring
7-22

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
7-23

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

7-24

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
7-25

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)
7-26

Saundras College Decision

Beliefs ()
Attribute

Import (I)

Smith

Princeton

Rutgers

Northland

Acad rep

All women

Cost

Proximity

Athletics

Party
Scene

Library

163

142

153

131

Attitude
Score

Figure 7.1 (Abridged)

7-27

Fishbein Model (Contd)

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

7-28

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

7-29

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
7-30

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

7-31

Theory of Trying
Figure 7.3

7-32

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
7-33

Tracking Attitudes over Time

Attitude-tracking program
More like a movie than a snapshot of
attitudes
GALLUP.COM
Changes to look for
Changes in different age groups
Scenarios about the future

7-34