Attitude Formation and

Change
 A learned predisposition to
behave in a consistently
Attitudes favorable or unfavorable
manner with respect to a
given object.
 What are Attitudes?

• The attitude “object”

• Attitudes are a learned predisposition
• Attitudes have consistency
• Attitudes occur within a situation
 COGNITIVE KNOWLEDGE

CONATIVE

BEHAVIOUR

AFFECTIVE EMOTIONS
 Attitude models that
examine the composition of
Multiattribute
People’s attitudes in terms
Attitude
of the multiple attribute of
Models
thing, event, person, or
beliefs.
 MULTIATTRIBUTE ATTITUDE MODEL:
A CASE OF SANITATION- TOILET

BELIEFS
OLD SAFTEY
ATTRIBUTES IMPORTANCE OPEN AIR
TOILET TOILET
CLEANLINESS 2 1 3 5

HYGIENE 3 2 5 4

CONVENIENCE 1 4 1 2
COST
5 5 2 1
EFFECTIVE
STATUS 4 3 4 3

Attitude Scores 49 48 41

Scale: 5 = Most Important; 1 = Least Important

 A model that proposes that
an individual's attitude
Attitude- toward a specific behavior is
Toward- a function of how strongly
Behavior he or she believes that the
Model action will lead to a specific
outcome (either favorable or
unfavorable).
 A comprehensive theory of
Theory of
the interrelationship among
Reasoned
attitudes,intentions, and
Action
behavior.
 Issues in Attitude Formation

• How attitudes are learned

• Sources of influence on attitude formation
• Personality factors
Cognition
 An attitude-change theory
that classifies attitudes in
Functional terms of four functions:
Approach utilitarian, ego-defensive
value-expressive, and
knowledge functions.
Four Basic Motivational Functions of
Attitudes

• The Utilitarian Function

• The Ego-defensive
Function
• The Value-expressive
Function
• The Knowledge Function
 A component of the
functional approach to
attitude-change theory that
Utilitarian
suggests people hold certain
Function
attitudes partly because of
the utility of the attitude
object.

EXMP. Favorable attitude towards

having a large family
 A component of the
functional approach to
Ego-Defensive attitude-change that suggests
Function that individuals want to
protect their self-concepts
from inner feelings of doubt.

Exp. Having favourable attitude

towards own group
 A component of the
functional approach to
Value- attitude-change theory that
Expressive suggests that attitudes
Function express individuals’ general
values, lifestyles, and
outlook.

Exp. Favourable attitude

towards certain brands
 A component of the
functional approach to
attitude-change theory that
Knowledge suggests that individuals
Function have a strong need to know
and understand the people
and things with which they
come into contact.
Exp. Attitude towards other
groups
 Strategies of Attitude
Change
• Changing the Basic Motivational Function
• Associating the attitude object With a
Special Group, Event,or Cause
• Resolving Two Conflicting Attitudes
• Altering Components of the Multiattribute
Model
• Changing Beliefs About the attitude object
• The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
 Altering Components of the
Multiattribute Model

• Changing the Relative

Evaluation of Attributes
• Changing Beliefs
• Adding an Attribute
• Changing the Overall Brand
Rating
 Holds that discomfort or
Cognitive dissonance occurs when a
Dissonance consumer holds conflicting
Theory thoughts about a belief or an
attitude object.
 ATTITUDE CHANGE

Belief 1 Belief 3

POSITIVE NEGATIVE
THEORY OF COGNITIVE
DISSONANCE Belief 2

Cognitive Cognitive
consonant dissonant

CREATE DISSONANCE REDUCE DISONANCE

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 TO CHANGE ATTITUDE CHANGE THE COMPONENTS

• CHANGE BEHAVIOUR – LINK TO NEW

BEHAVIOUR
• CHANGE EMOTIONS – LINK NEW EMOTIONS
• CHANGE KNOWLEDGE – PROVIDE ADEQUATE
INFORMATION
 ATTITUDE CHANGE AND
COMMUNICATION
• SOURCE
– CREDIBILITY
– ATTRACTIVENESS
• CONTENT
– ONE SIDED MESSAGE Vs. TWO SIDED
– START POSITIVE
• TARGET
– PUBLIC COMMITMENT
– KNOWLEDGE
– LANGUAGE
– MEDIUM