Consumer Behavior,

Eighth Edition

SCHIFFMAN & KANUK

Chapter 8

Consumer Attitude
Formation and Change

8-1
 A learned
predisposition to
behave in a
consistently
Attitudes
favorable or
unfavorable manner
with respect to a
given object.

8-2
 What are Attitudes?
• The attitude “object”
• Attitudes are a learned predisposition
• Attitudes have consistency
• Attitudes occur within a situation

8-3
 Figure 8.1
Wendy’s
Offers Salads
To
Differentiate
Itself

8-4
 Structural Models of Attitudes
• Tricomponent Attitude Model
• Muliattribute Attitude Model
• The Trying-to-Consume Model
• Attitude-toward-the-Ad Model

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 Figure 8.2 A Simple Representation of
the Tricomponent Attitude Model

Conation

Affect
Cognition

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 The Tricomponent Model
• Cognitive Component
– The knowledge and perceptions that are acquired by a
combination of direct experience with the attitude
object and related information from various sources.
The knowledge and resulting perceptions take the form
of beliefs that is the consumer believes that the attitude
object possesses various attributes and that specific
behavior will lead to specific outcomes.

8-7
 Broadband Internet Access

8-8
 • Affective Component
– A consumer’s emotions or feelings about a particular
product or brand.
• Ex: Evaluative scale

8-9
 Evaluative scale
• Compared to other moisturizing lotions Nivea skin
therapy lotion is:
• Good [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Bad
• Positive [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Negative
• Pleasant [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Unpleasant
• Appealing [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Unappeali

8-10
 • Conative Component
– The likelihood or tendency that an individual will
undertake a specific action or behave in a particular
way with regard to the attitude object.
• In marketing and consumer research conative
component is frequently treated as an expression
of the consumer’s intention to buy.
• Example: Intention to buy scale

8-11
 Attitude models that
examine the
Multiattribute composition of
Attitude consumer attitudes
Models in terms of selected
product attributes or
beliefs.

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 Multiattribute Attitude Models
• The attitude-toward-object model
– Attitude is function of evaluation of product-
specific beliefs and attributes
– In general consumers will have favorable
attitudes towards those brands that they believe
have an adequate level of attributes that they
evaluate as positive and unfavorable attitudes
towards those brands that do not possess too
many attributes they evaluate as positive

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 • The attitude-toward-behavior model
– Is the attitude toward behaving or acting with
respect to an object, rather than the attitude
toward the object itself

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 • Theory-of-reasoned-action model
– A comprehensive, integrative model of attitudes
– Similar to tricomponent model of attitudes but the
components are arranged in a different manner.
– To understand intention we need to measure
subjective norms that influence an individual’s
intention. It can be measured by assessing a
consumer’s feelings as to what relevant others
would think of the action.

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

8-17
 Figure 8.4 A Simplified Version of the
Theory of Reasoned Action
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Intention
Intention

Behavior
Behavior

8-18
 An attitude theory
designed to account
for the many cases
Theory of where the action or
Trying to outcome is not certain
Consume but instead reflects
the consumer’s
attempt to consume
(or purchase).

8-19
 Table 8.6 Selected Examples of Potential
Impediments That Might Impact Trying
POTENTIAL PERSONAL IMPEDIMENTS
“I wonder whether my fingernails will be longer by the time of my wedding.”
“I want to try to lose fifteen pounds by next summer.”
“I’m going to try to get tickets for a Broadway show for your birthday.”
“I’m going to attempt to give up smoking by my birthday.”
“I am going to increase how often I go to the gym from two to four times a
week.”
“Tonight, I’m not going to have dessert at the restaurant.”
POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPEDIMENTS
“The first ten people to call in will receive a free T-shirt.”
“Sorry, the shoes didn’t come in this shipment from Italy.”
“There are only three bottles of champagne in our stockroom. You better
come in sometime today.”
“I am sorry. We cannot serve you. We are closing the restaurant because of a
problem with the oven.”

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 A model that proposes
that a consumer forms
various feelings (affects)
Attitude- and judgments
Toward- (cognitions) as the result
the-Ad of exposure to an
Model advertisement, which, in
turn, affect the consumer’s
attitude toward the ad and
attitude toward the brand.

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 Attitude towards the ad model
• Eg: Research among Asian Indian US
Immigrants. Study found a positive relationship
between attitude towards the advertisement and
purchase intention of the advertised products.
• Eg: Additional research on consumer attitudes
for novel products
• Consumer socialization: African Americans
and women

8-22
 Figure 8.6 A Conception of the
Relationship among Elements in an
Attitude-Toward-the-Ad Model

Exposure to an Ad

Judgments about Feelings from the

the Ad (Cognition) Ad (Affect)

Beliefs about the Attitude toward

Brand the Ad

Attitude toward
the Brand
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 Issues in Attitude Formation
• The shift from no attitude towards a product
to some attitude for a product is called
attitude formation.
• How attitudes are learned
• Sources of influence on attitude formation
• Personality factors

8-24
 How attitudes are learned
a. Consumers often purchase products that are
associated with a favorably viewed brand
name. The favorable attitude towards the
brand name is a result of repeated
satisfaction with other products by the same
company.

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 How attitudes are learned
b. Sometimes attitudes follow the purchase
consumption and of products.
• 1. only product of its kind
• 2. trial purchase
c. Sometimes attitudes are formed about
products on the basis of information exposure
and the consumer’s own cognitions

8-26
 Sources of Influence on attitude
formation
• 1. Personal experience-marketers
implication is by way of free samples or
coupons for first purchase.
• Others-family, friends, people we admire
• Direct marketing programs-to target small
consumer niches with products and services
that fit their interests and lifestyles.

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 Sources of Influence on attitude
formation
• Mass media communications provide an
important source of information that
influences attitude formation.
• Other research indicated that no direct
experience will develop an attitude towards
an emotionally appealing advertisement.
• Level of realism-direct experience v/s indirect
experience , television v/s print or radio
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 Personality factors
• Personality factors play a critical role in
attitude formation. Individuals with High
NFC (need for cognition) will have positive
attitudes to advertisements rich in product
related information

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 Figure 8.8
Encouraging
Trial

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 Strategies of Attitude Change
• Changing the Basic Motivational Function
• Associating the Product With an Admired
Group or Event
• Resolving Two Conflicting Attitudes
• Altering Components of the Multiattribute
Model
• Changing Beliefs About Competitors’
Brands
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 Four Basic Attitude Functions

• The Utilitarian Function

• The Ego-defensive
Function
• The Value-expressive
Function
• The Knowledge Function

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 Figure 8.9
Clorox Uses A
Utilitarian
Appeal

8-33
 Figure 8.10
Suave Uses
Ego Defensive
Appeal
“In a 24-7
world, your
antiperspiran
does not get
to knock off
early
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 Figure 8.11
AC Delco Uses
a Value-
Expressive
Appeal

8-35
 Figure 8.12
A Knowledge
Appeal

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 Strategies of Attitude Change
• Associating the product with a special
group, event or change-
• Attitudes are related ,at least in part to
certain groups, events or causes. It is
possible to alter attitudes by pointing out
the relationship of products, services and
brands to particular groups, events or
causes. Eg: sponsors
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 Resolving 2 conflicting attitudes
• Attitude change strategies can sometimes
resolve actual or potential conflict between
2 attitudes.
• Move from negative-positive

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 Altering components of
Multiattribute model
• 1. Changing the relative evaluation of
attributes-overall market –different consumer
segments –different brands-different features or
benefits.
• When a product category is naturally divided acc
to distinct product features or benefits that appeal
to a particular segment, marketers have an
opportunity to persuade consumers to cross over.

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 2. Changing Brand Beliefs
• Most common advertising appeal
• Changing beliefs or perceptions about the
brand itself.
• Eg: Pantene hair products challenge the
notion that you have to be stuck with “flat
hair”. Pantene suggests when consumers use
its volume care products, they can increase
volume by as much as 80%
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 3. Adding an attribute
• This can be achieved in two ways
• 1. by adding an attribute previously ignored
eg: yogurt
• 2. by adding an attribute that represents an
improvement or technological innovation
eg: Dove nutrium

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 4. Changing the overall brand
rating
• This strategy aims at attempting to alter
consumer’s overall assessment of the brand
directly without attempting to improve or change
the evaluation of any single brand attribute.
• Such a strategy frequently relies on some global
statements such as “this is the largest selling
brand”, “the one all others try to imitate” Eg:
Honda

8-42
 Changing beliefs about
Competitor Brands
• Another attitude change strategy is to change
consumer beliefs about attributes of competitor
brands.
• Eg: Oracle small business suite v/s Quickbooks
Premier
• Oracle small business suite is easy to use total
complete system to run your entire company more
efficiently. It has accounting and payroll, Sales
force automation, customer support management
8-43
 A theory that suggests
that a person’s level
Elaboration of involvement during
Likelihood message processing is
Model a critical factor in
(ELM) determining which
route to persuasion is
likely to be effective.

8-44
 ELM
When consumers are willing to understand,
learn or evaluate the available information
about the attitude object learning and
attitude change occur via the central route.
In contrast when consumer’s assessment skill
are low, learning and attitude change occur
via the peripheral route.

8-45
 Why Might Behavior Precede
Attitude Formation?
• Cognitive Dissonance Behave (Purchase)
Theory
• Attribution Theory

Form Attitude Form Attitude

8-46
 Holds that discomfort or
dissonance occurs when
Cognitive
a consumer holds
Dissonance
conflicting thoughts
Theory
about a belief or an
attitude object.

8-47
 Figure 8.17
Reducing
Cognitive
Dissonance

8-48
 Cognitive dissonance
that occurs after a
consumer has made a
purchase
commitment.
Postpurchase
Consumers resolve
Dissonance
this dissonance
through a variety of
strategies designed to
confirm the wisdom
of their choice.
8-49
 A theory concerned
with how people assign
causality to events (eg
blame or credit) and
Attribution
form or alter their
Theory
attitudes as an outcome
of assessing their own
or other people’s
behavior.

8-50
 Issues in Attribution Theory
• Self-perception Theory
– Foot-In-The-Door Technique
• Attributions Toward Others
• Attributions Toward Things
• How We Test Our Attributions

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 A theory that suggests
that consumers
develop attitudes by
Self-
reflecting on their own
Perception
behavior. Eg: a girl
Theory
who buys gulf news
daily while
commuting

8-52
 Internal and External attributions
• Eg: John –presentation which is well
received by the audience.

8-53
 A theory that suggests
consumers are likely
to accept credit for
successful outcomes
Defensive
(internal attribution)
Attribution
and to blame other
persons or products for
failure (external
attribution).

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 Marketing application of
Defensive Attribution
• Marketers need to offer uniformly high quality
products that allow consumers to perceive
themselves as the reasons for the success.
• Moreover the company’s advertising should
serve to reassure consumers particularly the
inexperienced ones that its products will not let
them down but will make them feel good.

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 Foot in the door Technique
• It is based on the premise that individuals
look at their prior behavior (eg compliance
with a minor request) and conclude that
they are the kind of person who says “yes”
to such requests.(an internal attribution)
Such self attribution serves to increase the
likelihood that they will agree to a similar
more substantial request.
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 Marketing Implication of Foot-
in- the-door technique
• How specific incentives(coupons of varying
amounts) ultimately influence consumer
attitudes and subsequent expected it is not the
biggest incentive that is most likely to lead to
positive attitude change.
• Bigger the incentive-they will externalize the
cause of the behavior and less likely to change
their attitudes and make future purchases.

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 Attributions towards things
• Products ad services are “things”. It is in the area
of judging product performance that consumers are
most likely to form product attributions.
• They want to find out why products are a success
or failure (expectations).
• They could attribute successful performance or
failure to the product itself, to themselves, to
others, to situations or a combination of these
factors.
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 Criteria for Causal Attributions
• Distinctiveness
• Consistency Over Time
• Consistency Over Modality
• Consensus

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 How we test our attributions
• Distinctiveness-the consumer attributes an
action to a particular product or person if
the action occurs when the product (or
person) is present and does not occur in its
absence
• Consistency over time-whenever a person
or product is present the consumer’s
inference or reaction is the same.
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 • Consistency over modality-inference or
reaction must be the same even when the
situation in which it occurs varies.
• Consensus-action is perceived in the same
way by other consumers.

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