1. Chapter 7 Attitudes

2. 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

3. Functional Theory of Attitudes
Katz: attitudes exist because they serve some adaptive function
UTILITARIAN
FUNCTION:
Relates to rewards and punishments
VALUE-EXPRESSIVE FUNCTION:
Expresses consumer’s values or self-concept
EGO-DEFENSIVE
FUNCTION:
Protect ourselves from external threats or internal feelings
KNOWLEDGE
FUNCTION:
Need for order, structure, or meaning

4. Functional Theory of Attitudes (cont.)
Example: study of football fans identified three clusters:
Cluster
Sports Marketer’s Strategy
Die-hard team fans
Provide greater sports knowledge
Relate attendance to personal values
Those who enjoy cheering for winning team
Publicize aspects of visiting teams, such as sports stars
Those who look for camaraderie
Provide improved peripheral benefits (e.g., improved parking)

5. ABC Model of Attitudes Attitude has three components:
Affect: the way a consumer feels about an attitude object.
Behavior: person’s intentions or actual behavior with regard to an attitude object.
Cognition: beliefs a consumer has about an attitude object.

6. Hierarchies of Effects
Impact/importance of attitude components depends on consumer’s motivation toward attitude object

7. 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 versus independence hypothesis

8. Attitude Commitment
Degree of commitment is related to level of involvement with attitude object
INTERNALIZATION
Highest level: deep-seeded attitudes become part of consumer’s value system
IDENTIFICATION
Mid-level: attitudes formed in order to conform to another person or group
COMPLIANCE
Lowest level: consumer forms attitude because it gains rewards or avoids punishments

9. Cognitive Dissonance and Harmony
Theory of cognitive dissonance: when a consumer is confronted with inconsistencies among attitudes or behaviors, he will take action to resolve the “dissonance”
Example: Two cognitive elements about smoking:
“I know smoking causes cancer”
“I smoke cigarettes”
Consumer will resolve the dissonance by either disregarding the health consequences or by not smoking (i.e. changing attitude or behavior)

10. Self-Perception Theory
Self-perception theory: we use observations of our own behavior to determine what our attitudes are.
FOOT-IN-THE-DOOR TECHNIQUE
Consumer is more likely to comply with a request if he has first agreed to comply with a smaller request
LOW-BALL TECHNIQUE
Person is asked for a small favor and is informed after agreeing to it that it will be very costly.
DOOR-IN-THE-FACE TECHNIQUE
Person is first asked to do something extreme (which he refuses), then asked to do something smaller.

11. Social Judgment Theory
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
Relationships and Political Candidates

12. Balance Theory
Balance theory: considers relations among elements a consumer might perceive as belonging together
Involves triad attitude structures
Attitudes can be positive or negative
Consumers strive for balanced/harmonious triad arrangements

13. Restoring Balance in a Triad
Alex wants to date Larry; Alex has positive attitude toward Larry
Larry wears earring; Larry has positive attitude toward earring
Alex doesn’t like men who wear earrings; has negative attitude toward earrings

14. Multi-Attribute Attitude Models
Multi-attribute models: consumer’s attitudes toward an attitude object depends on beliefs she has about the attributes of the object
Three elements
Attributes of AO (e.g., college)
Example: scholarly reputation
Beliefs about AO
Example: University of North Carolina is strong academically
Importance weights
Example: values academics over athletics

15. Fishbein Model Ajk = ΣβijkIik i = attribute, j = brand, k = consumer
Βijk = belief regarding the extent to which brand j possesses attribute i
Iik = importance weight consumer k places on attribute i
Overall Attitude Score toward brand = Sum of (consumer’s rating of each attribute for the brand) x (importance rating for that attribute)

16. Saundra’s College Decision
Attribute
Beliefs (β)
Importance (I)
Smith
Princeton
Rutgers
Northland
Academic reputation 6 8 9 3
All women 7
Cost 4 2
Proximity to home
Athletics 1 5
Party atmosphere
Library facilities
Attitude Score
163
142
153
131

17. Extended Fishbein Model
Theory of reasoned action: considers other elements of predicting behavior
Intentions versus behavior: measure behavioral intentions, not just behavior
Social pressure: acknowledges the power of other people in purchasing decision
Attitude toward buying: measure attitude toward the act of buying, not just attitude towards the product

18. Theory of Trying
Theory of trying: measures the reasoned action consumers take to reach a goal

19. Theory of Trying: Example of Consumer Trying to Lose Weight
Past frequency: How many times did he try to lose weight?
Recency: Did he try in the past week?
Beliefs: Does he believe he’d be healthier?
Evaluation of consequences: Does he believe his girlfriend would be happier if he loses weight?
Process: Does he believe the diet will make him feel depressed?
Expectations of success and failure: Does he believe he will succeed with the diet?
Subjective norms toward trying: Does he believe loved ones would approve of his efforts to lose weight?