Consumer Attitude

Module:4
 What is Attitude
• An attitude may be defined as a feeling of favourableness or
unfavourableness that an individual has towards an object (be it a person,
thing or situation).

• It is a learned predisposition to exhibit and act based on evaluation

resulting in a feeling of like or dislike towards and object.

• In terms of consumer behaviour, an attitude is reflective of a consistent

favourable or unfavourable feeling that a consumer or a prospect forms as
a result of an evaluation about an object; the object being, a
product/service offering, brand, price, store and dealer, salesperson,
advertisement, promotion etc.
 NATURE OF ATTITUDES

• Attitudes are directed towards an object.

• Attitudes have a direction; they could be positive or negative.

• Attitudes are consistent in nature, particularly with respect to the third component, i.e. behaviour.
However, they are not entirely permanent and may change if the cognitive or the component is
changed.

• Attitudes are a learned predisposition

• Attitudes cannot be observed directly; they can only be inferred from the manner in which an
individual behaves.

• Attitudes are situation specific.

 Key Structural models of Attitude

The tricomponent attitude model

Theory of planned behaviour: The multiattribute attitude model.

The tricomponent attitude model
 The tricomponent attitude model

• Tricomponent attitude model

states that attitudes are
composed of three components,
viz., a knowledge (cognitive)
component, feeling and
emotional (affect) component
and the action (conative)
component
 The tricomponent attitude model -
cognitive component
• - In terms of
marketing, the
knowledge or
cognitive component
of the tricomponent
model consists of
consumers'
knowledge about the
products/service
offering and the
marketing mix.
 The tricomponent attitude model - Affective component

• - In marketing terms, Affective component refers

to a consumer’s feelings about a product/service
offering and the marketing mix.

• These emotions could relate to an attribute or the

overall object. It is evaluative in nature and would
vary on a continuum as like or dislike,
favourableness or unfavourableness.

• It manifests itself through feelings and resultant

expressions like happiness, sadness, anger,
surprise etc., and is indicative of consumer
reaction towards the offering and the mix, which
subsequently affects the purchase decision
making as well as the purchase process.
The tricomponent attitude model - conative component

• The conative
component, is
indicative of the an
individual’s tendency
to behave [act or not
to act (to buy or not
to buy)] in a particular
manner with respect
to the attitude object
(product/service
offering, brand etc.).
Theory of planned behaviour:
The multiattribute attitude
model
 Theory of planned behaviour (TPB)
• The theory of planned
behaviour is a psychological
theory that links beliefs,
attitude to behavior.

• The theory maintains that

three core components,
namely, attitude, subjective
norms, and perceived
behavioural control,
together shape an
individual's behavioural
intentions
 Theory of planned behaviour (TPB)

• Attitude - A person’s individual

feelings and evaluation of the
brand. Do they see this brand
as a good or bad option?

• Subjective Norm - How others

in society view this brand. Do
others approve or disapprove
of purchase of this brand?
 Theory of planned behaviour (TPB)
• Perceived Behavioural Control:

• The individual belief that one has

control over a specific action or
behavior or purchase of brand.

• Do they believe that they can

successfully carry out this
behavior/ purcahase?

• Do they believe they have the time

and financial capability to purchase
the brand.
 Theory of planned behaviour (TPB)
• Actual Behavioural
control

• Actually availability of the

resources such as time,
money etc to finally
purchase the brand.

• Behavior:

Purchase the brand

Attitude formation
 Attitude formation (Cont.)

• Attitudes are formed as a result of the learning process.

• The formation of attitudes can be explained through

• Behavioural theories (classical conditioning, operant conditioning)

• Cognitive learning.
 Classical conditioning & Attitude formation
(Cont.)
• People prefer buying products that are associated with familiar brand
names. Line extensions and brand extensions lead to favourable
attitude formation.

• The favourable attitude is the result of repeated satisfaction with

successful brands owned by a company; consumers associate the
image and favourable attitude associated with the parent brand to
the newly introduced brands from the same source
 Instrumental Conditioning & Attitude
formation (Cont.)
• Generally, while making purchases, a consumer passes through cognition,
attitude and behavior, in that order.

• However, in certain kinds of purchases, like low-involvement purchases, impulse

goods, trials or situational factors, the sequence lies as cognition, behavior and
attitude. Thus, attitudes develop following the act of purchase and consumption
of the product.

• When discounts, free samples and other sales promotions are provided,
consumers adopt cognition, behavior and attitude formation model.
 Cognitive Learning Theory:
Attitude formation (Cont.)

• Attitudes are also formed on the basis of information that a person

collects about a product or service offering and/or a brand, from his
environment.

• Such information could be specific to the product or service, or may

be incidental, that gets stored in his memory. The consumer forms
positive or negative attitudes based on information gathering, storage
and retention, and on the basis of knowledge and beliefs.
Sources of influence on attitude formation
Attitudes formation is further influenced by three factors

i) Previous experiences with the product/service offering and the mix;

ii) interaction with other people, be it family, friends, peers and

colleagues;

iii) information obtained from the marketer through promotion

particularly advertisements as well as dealers and salespeople.
Attitude change
 Introduction

Once formed, attitudes are enduring and consistent.

However, this does not imply that they cannot be changed. Attitudes
can be changed in the same manner as they are formed, i.e. through
learning.
 Strategies for Attitude Change

Change the Change attitudes

product/ Package, through
or add an attribute. communication.

Change Beliefs
about Competing
Brands.
Change the product/ Package, or add an attribute.

• The marketer could bring about a change in the product itself, thereby adding on to
benefits that are provided by the product or service offering.

• The marketer could also add on to newer attributes and features previously has been
ignored or one that represents an improvement or technological innovation. In this way,
he could either claim to provide whatever he was providing earlier in a better manner.

• For instance, Initially Bournvita was positioned as a superior product to milk i.e., a health
builder. Now Bournvita’s advertisement claims it as necessary product or health builder
containing vital calcium, vitamins and carbohydrates that is a must for growing children.
Changing consumer beliefs about competitor
brands
• The marketer could also build favorable attitude towards his brand by
negating the value of competitive brands or by proposing superior
value over rival offerings.

• Companies that sell organic food often compare their products to

regular food and try to establish an unfavorable attitude toward
produce that is grown with pesticides.
Changing consumer beliefs about competitor brands
 Change attitudes through communication
• As consumers we are constantly bombarded by messages inducing us
to change our attitudes.

• These persuasion attempts can range from logical arguments to

graphic pictures, and from intimidation by peers to exhortations by
celebrity spokespeople.

• Consumers attitude can be changed through communication

persuasion methods also with the help of The Elaboration Likelihood
Model (ELM)
 The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
• The Elaboration likelihood Model, speaks of attitude formation and
change in context of a consumer’s exposure towards a advertisement,
and the level of involvement.

• As per the ELM Model, a change in consumer attitudes may be

brought about through two routes to persuasion, viz., the central
route and the peripheral route.
The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
 The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
The Elaboration Likelihood Model describes two
different routes to persuasion and attitude change:
the Central route and the Peripheral route.

For High-involvement product, where a consumer

would put in more cognitive effort, the central
route to persuasion is used and focus on the
message content, Product information- Points of
Parity (PoP) And Point of Difference (PoD) and
factual data is done. (Rational Route).

On the other hand, in cases of low involvement, he

would follow the peripheral route to persuasion and
focus on the message context, background,
scenery, music and other non-product related
information (beautiful ads, attractive models/
celebrities, great packaging etc). (Emotional
Route).
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 Post – Purchase Attitude change
• Also marketers can moderate/ change the post purchase attitudes.

• 1. Seek advertisements that support their choices.

• 2. Try to “sell” friends on the positive features of the purchase made

(i.e., “the consumer as a sales agent”).

• 3. Ask them to join Brand Communities organised by the

Manufacturers.