Consumer Attitude

Formation and
Change

What Are Attitudes?

A learned predisposition to behave in a
consistently
favorable
or
unfavorable
manner with respect to a given object.
Each of us has a vast number of
attitudes
towards
product,
services, advertisement, direct
mail, the internet and a retail
store.
For example : (Movado Watches,
Kingfisher
Airlines,
British
Airways,
big
bazar,
opoo,
www.amzon.com)

Attitudes characteristics
The attitude object
It include specific consumption-or
marketing related concepts such as
product, product category ,brand,
service, possessions, product use,
price, package etc.
Examples:
Consumer attitude towards online
shopping
Consumer attitude towards mobile

The Attitude object

Any targets of judgment, including people, places, and

things, that have an attitude or opinion associated with
it.
For Example,
If we were interested in learning consumer attitude
towards the three major brands of washing machines
our object might include
LG, whirlpool, Haier, Samsung.

Attitudes characteristics
Attitudes are a learned
predisposition
That means attitudes are formed as a
result of prior direct experience with
the object, word-of-mouth, information
acquired
from
others,
or
from
advertising.

Attitudes characteristics have Consistency

Attitudes
consistency

have

Its means that they are relatively

consistent
with
behavior
they
reflect.
For example,
If a Mexican consumer reported
preferring Japanese (Toyota) over
Korean (Kia) automobiles,
we would expect that the individual
would be more likely to buy a
Japanese brand when his current
vehicle needed to be replaced.

Attitudes characteristicsude occur In a

Attitudes occur within a situation

It means event or circumstances that at
particular point in time, influence the
relationship between an attitude and
behavior.
For example,
If Mani stays at a Hampton inn each time
out of the town for business.
On the country, Mani find Hampton inn to
be just okay however because he owns
his own business and travel at his own
expense, he may feel that Hampton Inn is a
good enough, gives that less than he
would be paying if he stayed at a Sheraton
or Oberoi hotel.

Structural Models of
Attitudes

Tricomponent Attitude Model

Multiattribute Attitude Models
The Trying-to-Consume Model
Attitude-Toward-the-Ad Model

A Simple Representation of the Tricomponent

Attitude Model
Figure 8.2

Cognition
:
The
knowledge
and
perceptions that are
acquired
by
a
combination of direct
experience with the
attitude object and
related
information
from various sources

Source: Consumer Behavior, tenth ed., SCHIFFMAN & KANUK

A Simple Representation of the Tricomponent

Attitude Model
Figure 8.2

Affect : A consumers
emotions or feelings
about
a
particular
product or brand
Conation:
The
likelihood or tendency
that an individual will
undertake a specific
action or behave in a
particular way with

Source: Consumer Behavior, tenth ed., SCHIFFMAN & KANUK

Multiattribute Attitude
Models
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

Changing Values placed on Product Attributes

Marketers often try to convince

Consumers about the
superiority or importance of
those attributes on which
their brands are
relatively strong.

Changing Consumers Beliefs

The strategy of changing beliefs focuses

on Shifting beliefs about the
performance of brand on one
or more attributes.

Alternatively, marketers attempt to shift

the importance consumers place on certain
Attributes to those attributes on which
their brand is stronger

Changing Brand Evaluations

This strategy focuses on
influencing
Consumers overall brand
attitudes without any
reference to specific
Attributes.

Changing behaviour
According to D
S Kempf,
behaviour can
lead directly to
affect , to
cognitions, or
to both at the
same time.

Multiattribute Attitude
Models
Theory-of-reasoned-action model
Includes
cognitive,
affective, and
conative
components
Includes
subjective norms
in addition to
attitude

Source: Consumer Behavior, tenth ed., SCHIFFMAN & KANUK

The Trying-to-Consume
Model
An attitude theory designed to
account for the many cases where
the action or outcome is not certain
but instead reflects the consumers
attempt to consume (or purchase).

Attitude-Toward-the-Ad 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 consumers attitude toward the
ad and attitude toward the brand.

Attitude-Toward-the-Ad
Model

Source: Consumer Behavior, tenth ed., SCHIFFMAN & KANUK

Four Basic Attitude

Functions

The
The
The
The

Utilitarian Function
Ego-defensive Function
Value-expressive Function
Knowledge Function

Changing Attitude Through

Knowledge Function

This approach
of changing
attitude is
based on
cognitive
needs of
consumer.

Changing Attitude Through EgoDefensive Function

Very strongly held
attitudes often
serve the ego
defensive functions
and are least likely
to accept out side
influences.

Changing Attitude Through Utilitarian

Function
New uses of a
product are often
helpful in inducing
favourable change
in consumers
attitudes towards
the brand because
they satisfy a set
of utilitarian
function

Changing Attitude Through

The Value-Expressive
Function

It is difficult to
change value
expressive function
because these relate
to personal values and
are very important to
people

Combining several functions

Because different consumers may like
and dislike the same product or service
for different reasons.
Google for instance seems to have
created
attitudes using several functions.
Google wave can be used for official
communication (utilitarian approach)
To share videos with friends to enhance
his/her self concept(ego-defensive
function)
To have a strong sense of
belonging(value-expressive
function )
Have a search process to satisfy
cognitive needs(knowledge function)

Issues in Attitude Formation

How attitudes are learned
Conditioning and experience
Knowledge and beliefs
Sources of influence on attitude
formation
Personal experience
Influence of family
Direct marketing and mass media
Personality factors

Strategies of Attitude Changes

1. Changing the Basic Motivational
Function
2. Associating the Product with an
Admired Group or Event
3. Resolving Two Conflicting
Attitudes
4. Altering Components of the
Multiattribute Model
5. Changing Beliefs about
Competitors Brands

Associating the product with a

special group, event or cause
Attitudes are related, at least in part to
certain groups, social events, or causes.
It is possible to alter attitudes toward
companies and their products by
pointing out their relationships to
particular groups, events.
For example: Aircel has partnered with
world wildlife fund India to create save
our tigers initiative.

Resolving two conflicting

attitudes
Attitude-change strategies can
sometimes resolve actual or
potential conflict between two
attitudes.
For example
Jaison is amateur
photographer who
has been thinking of moving from his
point-and shoot digital camera to
DSLR.

Altering components of Multiattributes model

Changing the relative evaluation of attributes.
Changing brand beliefs.
Adding an attributes.
Changing the overall brand rating.
Changing the relative evaluation of attributes
The overall market for many product categories is often set
out so that different consumer segments are offered different
brands with different benefits.
For example coffee, the market can be divided
into regular coffee, flavored coffee and decaffeinated coffee.

Changing brand beliefs

A second cognitive-oriented strategy
for changing attitudes concentrates on
changing beliefs or perception about
the brand itself.
This is by far the most common form of
advertising appeal.

Adding an attribute
This can be accomplished either by
adding an attribute that previously has
been ignored.
Enhancing the product.
For example
Nivea for men (unscented)

Changing the overall brand rating

Still another cognitive-oriented
strategy consists of attempting to
alter consumers overall assessment
of brand directly, without change
their evaluation of any single brand.
Relies on some form of global
statement this is largest selling
brand.

Changing belief about competitors

Brands
To another approach to attitude change
strategy
Involves consumer beliefs about the attributes
Competitive brands and product categories.
For example,
Advertising for eclipse chewing gum makes a
dramatic assertions of product superiority
over other gum by claiming that most just
mask makes bad breath, we kill the germs
that cause it.

ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL AND ATTITUDE

CHANGE

Support
Argume
nt

Counter
Argume
nt

Source
Bolster
s

Source
Derogatio
ns

Elaboration Likelihood Model

(ELM)
A theory that suggests that a
persons level of involvement during
message processing is a critical
factor in determining which route to
persuasion is likely to be effective

Easier to change brand belief than

desired benefits.
Manufacturer of OTC product
produces a brand that consumers
regard as stronger.
Generally put more
value benefit of mild
and safe
recommended by
doctor or clinically
tested.

Marketer Alternative Approach

The marketer
approach could be
to put less
emphasis on
product strength in
its advertising,
continue putting
emphasis on fast
relief from painful
symptom and
highlight DAI or
FDA approval

Easier to change attitude for highinvolvement products

Consumer are committed to the brand

Changing consumer belief easier than

changing their brand attitude.

Easier to change attitude for lowinvolvement products

Consumer are not
committed to the
brand
Consumer are little
self-identified with the
product, little
emotional attachment.
Consumer are more
likely to accept a
message even if it
does not conform to

Change Weak Attitude Than The

Strong Ones.

If consumer do not hold

strong attitude about
brands, any
commitment is nonexistent and brand
switching is quiet
common.

Why Might Behavior Precede

Attitude Formation?
Cognitive Dissonance
Theory
Holds that discomfort or
dissonance occurs when a
consumer holds conflicting
thoughts about a belief or an
attitude object
Attribution Theory
Form Attitude

Behave
(Purchase)

Form Attitude

Why Might Behavior Precede

Attitude Formation?
Attribution Theory
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
peoples behavior.
Form Attitude

Behave
(Purchase)

Form Attitude

POST PURCHASE ATTITUDE

CHANGE

Cognitive dissonance
theory
Attribution theory
MARKETER
S

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE THEORY

(LEON FESTINGER)

The probability that

consumers will experience
dissonance and the
intensity of this
dissonance depends on

The degree of commitment.

If it is easier to alter decision ,

the consumer is less likely
to experience dissonance
e.g. mobile phones

The importance of
decision.

If the purchase decision

is more important,
it is more likely that the consumer
will experience dissonance
e.g. Television

The difficulty of choosing

among alternatives.

If it is difficult to choose among

alternatives, it is most likely
that the consumer will
experience dissonance
e.g. Washing machine

The individuals personal

characteristics.

If the individual
is of nervous
type, it is more
likely that
she/he would
experience
dissonance

FIVE STRATEGIES TO
REDUCE DISSONANCE :
Kenneth B Runyon
Marketers can relieve
consumer dissonance
by adopting several
strategies

ATTRIBUTION THEORY :
D. J. BEM
Consumers seek to determine causes
for events, often after the fact.
The theory suggests that consumer
attitude formation and change is the
result of consumers looking at their
own behavior and making judgments
about it.

Attribution Theory
If a girl uses fair & lovely regularly,
she feels she will get fairer as days go
by. (Positive attitude for the brand)
If she wins a contest she takes all the credit
herself for any success( internal attribution)
And will attribute
failure to
others or external
causes.
( external attribution)

Marketers should give positive reasons

for their purchases after the act.
Offer high quality
product and allow
consumer
themselves to
perceive as the
reason for choosing
the right brand.

Issues in Attribution
Theory
Self-perception Theory
A theory that suggests that
consumers develop attitudes by
reflecting on their own behavior.
Defensive Attribution
A theory that suggests consumers
are likely to accept credit for
successful outcomes (internal
attribution) and to blame other
persons or products for failure

What is Communication?
The transmission of a message from
a sender to a receiver via a medium
of transmission.

Issues in Credibility
Credibility of Informal Sources
Opinion leaders

Credibility of Impersonal, Neutral

Sources
Credibility of Marketer-Related
Sources
Credibility of Spokespersons and
Endorsers
Sleeper Effect

Endorser Credibility Is
High When
Match exists between product
attributes and endorser attributes
Match exists between
demographic characteristics of
target audience and endorser
The product lies within the
competence of the endorser

Endorser credibility Contd

Endorser credibility is not a
substitute for corporate credibility
Is important when message
comprehension is low

Sleeper Effect
The idea that both positive and
negative credibility effects tend to
disappear after a period of time.
Differential decay: memory of
negative cues disappear faster than
the message itself
Source is forgotten before the
message