Attitudes

The Power of Attitudes Attitude: a lasting, general evaluation of people, objects, advertisements, or issues Attitude object (AO) Help to determine a number of preferences and actions

Functional Theory of Attitudes Katz: Attitudes exist because they serve some function Determined by a person’s motives Attitude functions: Utilitarian Value-expressive Ego-defensive Knowledge Marketers emphasize the function a product serves for consumers

Smoking Attitudes Norwegian ad: “Smokers are more sociable than others…while it lasts.”

Fan Attitude “Profiles” Die-hard, highly committed fans Marketing: provide sports knowledge and relate attendance to personal goals/values Unique, self-expressive game experience Marketing: “brand switchers” who seek thrills wherever they can get them Looking for camaraderie Marketing: provide benefits related to small-group activities

ABC Model of Attitudes Three interrelated attitude components: Affect Behavior Cognition Hierarchy of effects Relative impact/importance of attitude components depends on consumer’s motivation toward attitude object

Hierarchy of Effects Figure 7.1

Hierarchy of Effects Standard Learning Hierarchy Results in strong brand loyalty Assumes high consumer involvement Low-Involvement Hierarchy Consumer does not have strong brand preference Consumers swayed by simple stimulus-response connections Experiential Hierarchy Consumers’ hedonic motivations and moods Emotional contagion Cognitive-affective model vs. independence hypothesis

Contextual Marketing Providing customers with information about competitors at the exact time when they are searching for details/shopping for a particular product category WHENU.COM

Attitude Toward the Ad We form attitudes toward objects other than the product that can influence our product selections We often form product attitudes from its ads Aad: attitude toward advertiser + evaluations of ad execution + ad evoked mood + ad arousal effects on consumer + viewing context

Ads Have Feelings Too Commercials evoke emotion Pleasure Arousal Intimidation

Forming Attitudes Classical conditioning Instrumental conditioning Cognitive learning/modeling

Attitude Commitment Degree of commitment is related to level of involvement with attitude object Compliance Identification Internalization

Consistency Principle Principle of cognitive consistency We value/seek harmony among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors We will change components to make them consistent

Cognitive Dissonance & Harmony Conflict of attitudes and behavior motivates us to reduce dissonance We make them fit by eliminating, adding, or changing elements Explains why evaluations of products increase after purchase Horse race experiment Marketers: post-purchase reinforcement

Discussion Think of a behavior someone does that is inconsistent with his or her attitudes (e.g., attitudes toward cholesterol, drug use, or even buying things to make him or her stand out or attain status) Ask the person to elaborate on why he or she does the behavior, then try to identify the way the person has resolved dissonant elements

Self-Perception Theory We use observations of our own behavior to determine what our attitudes are We must have a positive attitude toward a product if we freely purchase it, right? Low-involvement hierarchy Foot-in-the-door technique Low-ball technique Door-in-the-face technique

Social Judgment Theory We assimilate new information about attitude objects in light of what we already know/feel Initial attitude = frame of reference Latitudes of acceptance and rejection Assimilation and contrast effects “Choosy mothers choose Jif peanut butter”

Balance Theory Triad attitude structures Person Perception of attitude object Perception of other person/object Perception can be positive or negative Balanced/harmonious triad elements Unit relation and sentiment relation

Figure 7.2: Balance Theory + Larry Alex Earring O Figure 7.2: Balance Theory

Balance Theory (Cont’d) Marketing Applications “Basking in reflected glory” Unit relation with popular product = positive sentiment relation in other people’s triads Celebrity endorsers of products

Discussion Students often bask in reflected glory by taking credit for victories their teams earn over other colleges Should students who just watch the games rather than play them take credit for their team’s performance? INSIDECAROLINA.COM

Multi-attribute Attitude Models Three elements Attributes of AO (e.g., college) e.g., Scholarly reputation Beliefs about AO e.g., University of North Carolina is strong academically Importance weights e.g., Stressing research opportunities over athletics

Fishbein Model Most influential multi-attribute model Three components of attitudes Salient beliefs about AO Object-attribute linkages Evaluation of each important attribute Aijk = ΣβijkIik Overall Attitude Score = (consumer’s rating of each attribute for all brands) x (importance rating for that attribute)

Saundra’s College Decision Beliefs (β) Attribute Import (I) Smith Princeton Rutgers Northland Acad rep 6 8 9 3 All women 7 Cost 4 2 Proximity Athletics 1 5 Party Scene Library Attitude Score 163 142 153 131 Figure 7.1 (Abridged)

Fishbein Model (Cont’d) Marketing applications Capitalize on relative advantage Strengthen perceived product/attribute linkages Add a new attribute Influence competitors’ ratings

Extended Fishbein Model Research: low correlation between reported attitude and actual behavior We love commercials, yet still not buy! Theory of reasoned action Intentions vs. behavior Conviction and past purchase behavior Behavioral intentions Social pressure SN = NB + MC Attitude toward act of buying

Obstacles to Predicting Behavior Many researchers do not use Fishbein Model appropriately A few of the many obstacles (full list on pages 254-255): Actual behavior vs. outcomes of behavior Outcomes beyond consumer’s control Voluntary vs. nonvoluntary acts across cultures Relative impact of SNs vary across cultures

Trying to Consume Theory of trying Criterion should be trying to reach goal Intervening factors between intent and performance Several new components to account for act of trying

Theory of Trying Figure 7.3

Discussion Construct a multi-attribute model for a set of local restaurants Based on your findings, suggest how restaurant managers can improve an establishment’s image via the strategies described in this chapter

Tracking Attitudes over Time Attitude-tracking program More like a “movie” than a “snapshot” of attitudes Ongoing tracking studies Gallup Poll or Yankelovich Monitor Changes to look for… Changes in different age groups Scenarios about the future Identification of change agents GALLUP.COM