week 5 - attitudes and change Flashcards
define an attitude
a learned predisposition to behave in a consistentily favourable or unfavourable way with respect to a given object
according to the tricomponenet of additude model attitude is made up of 3 components
cognitive component (thinking) affective component (emotion) conative component (behaviour)
explain cognitive component
cognition = thinking so cognititve component captures the knowledge an indivdual has aquired through personal expierence or observation
often takes for of beliefs
An object possesses certain attributes (example: Vans don’t provide good arch support for your feet) – Using an object will result in certain outcomes (example: my feet will feel sore if I wear my Vans) • Beliefs can be positive or negative
explain affective component of the attitude model
affect = emotion
affective component captures a consumers emotions about a partcular object or behaviour
‒ Example: I feel happy when I wear my Vans
• Note: contradictions can exist in our attitudes; in
this example, the consumer feels happy when they
wear their Vans, even though it hurts their feet
explain the tricomponent of attitude - conative
conation = behaviour
s
o the conative component captures the likelihood
that an individual will behave in a particular way
• Often examined in the context of:
‒ Intention, where consumers plan to perform a particular behaviour in the future (example: I will purchase a new pair of Vans in the next year) ‒ Past behaviour (example: I have purchased a pair of Van in the past yea
define intention
the likelihood of performing a particular behaviour
define referents
people who are important to us,
while subjective norm is perceived support from the behaviour being evaluated
explain perceived behavioural control
s an evaluation of our own capacity to perform
the behaviour being evaluated
attitude formation can be influeced by
learning
personality
group processes
explain attitude formation via learning
Attitude tends to be more favourable for established brand names
(stimulus generalisation and classical conditioning)
‒ Attitude formation may follow trial (instrumental conditioning)
‒ Attitude may change as we integrate existing knowledge (cognitive
learning)
explain attitude formation via group processes
attitude formation can be influenced by various sources: ‒ Family and friends ‒ Direct marketing ‒ Mass media ‒ Internet
explain attitude formation via personality
Personality can play a critical role in
attitude formation
‒ High need for cognition: more likely to form positive attitudes to
ads rich in product‐related
information
‒ Low need for cognition: more likely to form positive attitudes to ads containing peripheral information, such as whether a celebrity has endorsed the product
there are many stratergies for changing attitude includig
The functional approach
‒ Altering components of the multi‐attribute model
‒ Comparative advertising
‒ Elaboration Likelihood Model
‒ Associating products with admired groups
‒ Message appeals
explain the functional approach
n this approach, attitudes serve a particular function:
‒ Utilitarian function
‒ Ego‐defensive function
‒ Value‐expressive function
‒ Knowledge function
• Different attitude change strategies can be developed for each function
explain the functional approach - utilitarian
Consumers hold certain attitudes about a product because of the product’s
utility (i.e., its usefulness)
• Attitudes can be changed by showing consumers that a product serves a
utilitarian purpose they had not previously considered
explain functional approach ego defensive
Consumers want to protect their self‐image from feelings of doubt
• Attitudes can be changed by reassuring consumers that a product is good
for their self‐image
explain functional approach ( value expresive)
Attitudes reflect a consumer’s underlying values and outlook
• Attitudes can be changed by demonstrating how a product expresses a
consumer’s values
explain functional approach knowlwedge
Consumers want to understand the world
around them
• Attitudes can be changed by ensuring an
ad has sufficient information to describe
the product/service (and particularly how
it compares with alternatives)
• However, don’t assume that information
by itself will change attitudes; this is a trap
many health campaigns fall into
explain the multi attribute model of attiude
Four ways of changing attitudes by altering components of the multi‐
attribute model:
‒ Changing the relative evaluation of attributes
‒ Changing brand beliefs
‒ Adding an attribute
‒ Changing the overall brand rating
explain multi attribute (relative evaluation)
Involves changing perceptions of product‐specific attributes
• Particularly useful for attributes that are perceived negatively
e.g. guinesses = long wait = change consumers attitudes towards wait = new advertising “good things take time”
explain mulit attribute (brand beliefs)
Aim is to change perceptions of brand‐related attributes
• Claims may need to be repeated often for them to ‘stick’
explain multi attribute (adding new attribute)
Emphasise an attribute that has been overlooked (example: bicarbonate soda is a great cleaning product) • Indicate that a product has a new feature (example: wristwatch with a pedometer)
• Stress how the product is now better
because a specific ingredient has been
removed (example: aluminium‐free
deodorants – great for sensitive skin)
explain multi attribute (overall brand rating)
Use a broad statement or claim that sets the brand apart from its competitors • Focus should be on shifting overall brand evaluations so that consumers do not have to change their attitudes towards specific attributes
define comparative advertising
Aim of comparative advertising is to change beliefs about competitors’
brands
Can be effective but may give exposure to the competing brand
• Potential legal issues that need to be carefully considered
Other models acknowledge that changes in behaviour can result in attitude
change
• These models include:
Cognitive dissonance theory
‒ Attribution theory
explain cognitive dissionance
According to cognitive dissonance, people feel discomfort (dissonance)
when their attitudes and/or behaviours are inconsistent
• Dissonance motivates consumers to resolve the inconsistency between
their attitudes and/or behaviours
• When dissonance occurs after a purchase, it is termed ‘post‐purchase
dissonance’ (example: did I just pay too much for the car I bought?)
explain consumer stratergies for cognitive dissionance
Rationalise decision as being wise (also known as post‐purchase
rationalisation); goal is to make themselves feel better about dubious
decisions (example: “This expensive suit is a good purchase because I
can wear it to weddings, funerals, and job interviews!”)
‒ Try to ‘sell’ friends or family on the positive features of the product
(example: “My new phone is amazing; you should get one!”)
‒ Look to known satisfied owners of the product for reassurance (example:
after purchasing a new Mazda, you ring a friend who has always driven a
Mazda to discuss your new car)
explain marketing strateergies for reducing cognitive dissionance
for reducing consumer dissonance:
‒ Structure ads to contain information about the benefits of a product to
reinforce consumer’s decision
‒ Offer strong warranties/guarantees
‒ Provide detailed instructions or information about how to use a product
efficiently (or additional ways to use the product)
‒ Emphasise the availability of after‐sales service (example: free online
technical support)
define slef perception theory
Self‐perception theory suggests that consumers develop attitudes by
reflecting on their own behaviour
‒ Based on the notion that consumers seek consistency in relation to their
attitudes and beliefs (example: I spend a lot of time on Facebook, so I
must like it)
explain self perception theory - defensive attribution
• Defensive attribution refers to the tendency for consumers to:
‒ Attribute success to internal factors
‒ Attribute failure to external factors
Product success/failure can be attributed to internal or external causes
‒ Failure + external attribution (example: the salesperson talked me into
purchasing this dodgy car)
‒ Failure + internal attribution (example: I wish I hadn’t decided to switch
to that terrible brand)
‒ Success + external attribution (example: the app interface is so simple,
anyone could use it)
‒ Success + internal attribution (example: you have to be pretty skilled to
use Photoshop
