Chapter 7

Attitudes
By Michael R. Solomon

Consumer Behavior
Buying, Having, and Being
Sixth Edition
7-1
 Opening Vignette: Soccer

How do Jan and Terri differ in their

attitudes toward soccer?
Jan and Nancy are both soccer fans. How
are they different?
Which one of the three is the most likely
target for ads promoting soccer?
Is Nancy likely to convert to become a
soccer fan?
7-2
 The Power of Attitudes

Attitude:
A lasting, general evaluation of people (including
oneself), objects, advertisements, or issues
Anything toward which one has an attitude is
called an object (Ao).
Attitudes are lasting because they tend to endure
over time.

7-3
 The Functions of Attitudes
Functional Theory of Attitudes:
Attitudes exist because they serve some function
for the person (i.e., they are determined by a
persons motives)
Katzs Attitude Functions
Utilitarian function
Value-expressive function
Ego-defensive function
Knowledge function

7-4
 Addressing Smoking Attitudes

This Norwegian ad addresses young peoples smoking

attitudes by arousing strong negative feelings. The ad reads
(left panel) Smokers are more sociable than others. (Right
panel): While it lasts.
7-5
 The ABC Model of Attitudes
Affect:
The way a consumer feels about an attitude object
Behavior:
Involves the persons intentions to do something
with regard to an attitude object
Cognition:
The beliefs a consumer has about an attitude object
Hierarchy of Effects:
A fixed sequence of steps that occur en route to an
attitude
7-6
 Attitudes as ABC

ATTITUDE BASED ON :
cognitive
information
affect behavior processing
beliefs
behavioral
learning
beliefs behavior affect process

hedonic
behavior beliefs consumption
affect
7-7
Three Hierarchies of Effects

Figure 7.1 7-8

 Attitude Hierarchies
The Standard Learning Hierarchy:
Consumer approaches a product decision as a
problem-solving process
The Low-Involvement Hierarchy:
Consumer does not have strong initial preference
Consumer acts on limited knowledge
Consumer forms an evaluation only after product trial
The Experiential Hierarchy:
Consumers act on the basis of their emotional
reactions
7-9
 Experiential Hierarchy
Emotional Contagion:
Emotions expressed by the communicator of a
marketing message affect the attitude toward the
product
Cognitive-Affective Model:
Argues that an affective judgment is the last step in
a series of cognitive processes
Independence Hypothesis:
Takes the position that affect and cognition involve
two separate, independent systems
7 - 10
Smith and Wollensky
This ad for New Yorks
famous Smith &
Wollensky restaurant
emphasizes that
marketers and others
associated with a
product or service are
often more involved
with it than are their
consumers.

7 - 11
 Product Attitudes Dont
Tell the Whole Story
Attitude Toward the Advertisement (Aad):
A predisposition to respond in a favorable or unfavorable
manner to a particular advertising stimulus during a
particular exposure occasion
Ads Have Feelings Too:
Three emotional dimensions:
Pleasure, arousal, and intimidation
Specific types of feelings that can be generated by an ad
Upbeat feelings: Amused, delighted, playful
Warm feelings: Affectionate, contemplative, hopeful
Negative feelings: Critical, defiant, offended

7 - 12
Discussion Question
Sexually suggestive
scenes like the one
depicted in this ad for
Union Bay clothing can
generate feelings that
affect brand attitudes.
What specific types of
feelings or responses
can this type of
advertisement elicit?
How will this scene
affect the attitude
toward the ad?

7 - 13
 Forming Attitudes
Not All Attitudes are Created Equal:
Levels of Commitment to an Attitude: The degree of
commitment is related to the level of involvement
with an attitude object
Compliance
Identification
Internalization
The Consistency Principle:
Principle of Cognitive Consistency: Consumers value
harmony among their thoughts, feelings or behaviors
to be consistent with other experiences
7 - 14
Levels of Attitudinal Commitment

By describing Cadillac as my company, the woman

in this ad exhibits a high level of attitudinal
commitment to her employer. 7 - 15
 Forming Attitudes (cont.)
Cognitive Dissonance and Harmony among Attitudes:
Theory of Cognitive Dissonance: When a person is
confronted with inconsistencies among attitudes or
behaviors, he or she will take action to reduce the dissonance
by changing an attitude or modifying a behavior.
Self-Perception Theory:
People maintain consistency by inferring that they must
maintain a positive attitude toward a product they have
bought or consumed
Foot-in-the-door technique:
Sales strategy based on the observation that consumers will
comply with a request if they have first agreed to comply
with a smaller request

7 - 16
 Attitudinal Commitment

This ad for a magazine illustrates that consumers

often distort information so that it fits with what they
already believe or think they know. 7 - 17
 Social Judgment Theory

Social Judgment Theory:

People assimilate new information about Aos
based on what they already know or feel.
Attitudes of Acceptance and Rejection: People
differ in the information they find acceptable or
unacceptable.
Assimilation effect: Messages that fall within the
latitude of acceptance tend to be seen as more consistent
with ones position than they actually are
Contrast effect: Messages falling within the latitude of
rejection tend to be seen as being farther from ones
position than they actually are
7 - 18
 Balance Theory
Triad:
An attitude structure consisting of three elements
(1) A person and his/her perceptions of
(2) an attitude object, and
(3) some other person or object
Unit relation:
An element is seen as belonging to or being part of the
other
Sentiment relation:
Two elements are linked because one has expressed a
preference for the other
Marketing Applications of Balance Theory
Celebrity endorsements

7 - 19
 Alternative Routes to
Restoring Balance in a Triad

Figure 7.2 7 - 20
 Discussion Question
Consumer researchers
understand that
consumers like to bask
in the reflected glory of
successful college
athletic programs by
wearing merchandise
adorned with logos like
the ones on the right.
How do the different
attitude theories explain
this consumer
phenomenon?

7 - 21
 Attitude Models
Attitude Models:
Specify the different elements that might work together to
influence peoples evaluations of Aos
Multiattribute Models:
Model that assumes a consumers Ao will depend on the
beliefs he or she has about several attributes toward the
object
Multiattribute Models Specify 3 Elements:
Attributes
Beliefs
Importance Weights

7 - 22
 Attitude Models
Choosing products:
We often choose products because of their
association with a certain lifestyle.
Goal of Lifestyle Marketing:
To allow consumers to pursue their chosen ways to
enjoy life and express their social identities.
Adopting Lifestyle Marketing:
Implies that we must look at patterns of behavior to
understand consumers
7 - 23
 The Fishbein Model
(Theory of Planned Behavior)
Measures 3 components of attitude:
(1) Salient Beliefs
(2) Object-attribute linkages
(3) Evaluation
Assumptions of the Fishbein Model:
Ability to specify all relevant choice attributes
Identification, weight, and summing of attributes
Affect referral:
A process by which a consumers overall attitude is
formed by an overall affective response
7 - 24
 The Fishbein Equation
The Basic Formula:
Aijk = ijkIik
Where:
i = attribute
j = brand
k = consumer
I = the importance weight given attribute I by consumer k
= consumer ks belief regarding the extent to which
brand j possesses attribute I
A = a particular consumers (ks) attitude score for brand j

7 - 25
The Basic Multiattribute Model

7 - 28
 Strategic Applications of the
Multiattribute Model

Capitalize on Relative Advantage

Strengthen Perceived Product/Attribute
Linkages
Add a New Attribute
Influence Competitors Ratings

7 - 29
 Using Attitudes to Predict Behavior
In many cases, knowledge of a persons
attitude is not a very good predictor of
behavior
Questionable link between attitude and
behavior
Consumers love a commercial, but dont buy the product
The Extended Fishbein Model
Called the Theory of Reasoned Action
Contains several important additions to the original, which
improve its ability to predict behavior

7 - 30
 The Theory of Reasoned Action
Intentions Versus Behavior
Social Pressure:
Subjective Norm (SN)
Normative Belief (NB): Belief that others believe an
action should or should not be taken
Motivation to Comply (MC): Degree to which
consumers take into account anticipated reactions
Attitude Toward Buying:
Attitude toward the act of buying (Aact):
How someone feels about buying due to the perceived
consequences of a purchase
7 - 31
 Obstacles to Predicting Behavior in the
Theory of Reasoned Action
Model is misapplied
Other obstacles:
Model deals with actual behavior, not outcomes
Some outcomes are beyond the consumers control
The assumption of behavior as intentional may be invalid in
some cases
Attitude measures dont correspond to the behavior they are
supposed to predict
Too large a time frame between attitude measure and behavior
measure
Attitude accessibility perspective:
Behavior is a function of the persons immediate perceptions of
the Ao
7 - 32
 Cultural Roadblocks to the
Theory of Reasoned Action
Roadblocks that diminish the
universality of the theory
Model was designed to predict voluntary acts
The relative impact of subject norms varies across
cultures
The model assumes that consumers are actively
thinking ahead and planning behaviors
A consumer that forms an intention claims that he or
she is in control of his or her actions

7 - 33
 Trying to Consume
Theory of Trying to Consume
States that the criterion of behavior in the reasoned action
model should be replaced with trying to reach a goal
Sample issues that might be addressed:
Past frequency
Recency
Beliefs
Evaluations of consequences
The process
Expectations of success and failure
Subjective norms toward trying

7 - 34
Theory of Trying (TT)

Figure 7.3 7 - 35
 Tracking Attitudes over Time
Attitude-tracking program:
An single-attitude survey is a snapshot in time
A program allows researchers to analyze attitude
trends during an extended period of time
Ongoing Tracking Studies
Attitude tracking involves administration of a survey
at regular intervals (e.g. Gallup Poll, Yankelovich
Monitor)
This activity is valuable for making strategic
decisions
7 - 36
 Attitude Changes over Time
Changes to Look for over Time:
Changes in different age groups:
Attitudes change with age
Historical effects
Scenarios about the future:
Consumers tracked in terms of future plans,
confidence in economy, and so on
Identification of change agents:
Social phenomena can alter peoples attitudes

7 - 37
 Changing Attitudes

Percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds who agree We must take radical

action to cut down on how we use our cars.

Figure 7.4 7 - 38