Week 6 - Attitudes and Attitude Change

Question 1

What is volitional behaviour?

Answer 1

When consumers feel free to act in a way they wish

Question 2

Attitudes are expected to be consistent with what?

Answer 2

Behaviour (e.g., positive evaluation on brand A vs. brand purchase; attitudes toward blood donation vs. actual blood donation)

However sometimes other circumstances intervene so other situation factors might temporarily alter the attitude–behaviour relationship.

Question 3

Attitudes have direction and intensity. What is direction?

Answer 3

Also known as valence. May be unfavourable or favourable.

Question 4

Attitudes have direction and intensity. What is intensity?

Answer 4

STRENGTH with which consumer can hold an attitude (e.g. attitude score: 7 vs 10; 10 is the highest attitude)

CONFIDENCE is degree to which consumer believes their attitude is ‘right’. (e.g. attitude score: 7 – but attitude confidence can be different)

Question 5

What is Functional Theory of Attitudes?

Answer 5

Attitudes exist because they serve some function for the person

Question 6

What are Katz’s attitude functions?

Answer 6

Utilitarian function (e.g., does the product give you pleasure or pain? Attitudes formed. You avoid the product if your attitudes are negative)

Value-expressive function (e.g., I like or dislike X—expression of one’s central value of self-concept)

Ego-defensive function (e.g., I don’t like X—because the use of X may compromise my images)

Knowledge function: Attitudes provide meaning (knowledge) for life. It allows us to predict what is likely to happen (e.g., I know that he likes or dislikes X; Thus, I can predict his certain behaviour that is related to X)

An attitude can serve more than one function, but generally one will be dominant.

Question 7

An attitude has what two components?

Answer 7

Emotion (feel): the way a consumer feels about an attitude object.

Cognition (learn): the beliefs a consumer holds about an attitude object.

Question 8

When a respondent is ambivalent about an object, which contributes more: feelings or thoughts?

Answer 8

Feelings

Question 9

When an attitude object is important to the respondent, which contributes more: feelings or thoughts?

Answer 9

Thoughts take on a dominant or equal role.

Question 10

The hierarchy of effects model explains the relationship between what?

Answer 10

Consumer feelings (FEEL), thoughts (LEARN) and behaviours (DO). It’s sequential.

Question 11

What is Standard Learning Hierarchy (of the hierarchy of effects model)?

Answer 11

Learn-feel-do

Consumer approaches the product decision as a problem-solving process. Assumes that the consumer is highly involved in the purchase decision

Question 12

What is the Low-Involvement Hierarchy (of the hierarchy of effects model)?

Answer 12

Learn–Do–Feel

Low involvement products - consumer doesn’t have strong initial preference. Consumer acts on limited knowledge and forms an evaluation after product trial.

Question 13

What is the Experiential Hierarchy (of the hierarchy of effects model)?

Answer 13

Feel-Do-Learn

Consumers act on the basis of their emotional reactions. Emotions expressed by the communicator of a marketing message affect the attitude toward the product (emotional contagion)

Question 14

What is a one-sided message? (changing the cognitive ‘learning’ component of attitudes)

Answer 14

Supportive argument, presenting 1 or more positive product attributes

Question 15

What is a two-sided message? (changing the cognitive ‘learning’ component of attitudes)

Answer 15

Use both positive and negative information.
Refutational argument: Address a negative issue then dismiss it.
More credible in general.

Question 16

What are the two options when it comes to drawing conclusions? (changing the cognitive ‘learning’ component of attitudes)

Answer 16

1. Do it on behalf on consumers: works better when consumer’s motivation is low and message is complicated
2. Let them draw their own conclusions: create strong attitudes

Question 17

What is comparative advertising?

Answer 17

A strategy in which a message features two or more recognisably presented brands and compares them in terms of specific attributes.

Question 18

When might comparative advertising be particularly effective?

Answer 18

For new products trying to position themselves in the market.

Question 19

What are the three emotion dimensions of “feel” ads?(Changing the Emotional Component of Attitudes (‘Feel’))

Answer 19

1) Pleasure
2) Arousal
3) Intimidation

Question 20

Why is humour a risky strategy and when is it more effective? (Changing the Emotional Component of Attitudes (‘Feel’))

Answer 20

Because humour varies between individuals.

More effective when the brand is clearly identified 
and humour does not distract.

Question 21

Fear is used to emphasise what and is most effective when? (Changing the Emotional Component of Attitudes (‘Feel’))

Answer 21

Emphasise negative consequences of not changing 
behaviour.

Effective when the threat is immediate and 
accompanied with a solution to resolve the threat.

Question 22

What are the basic psychological principles that influence people to change their minds of comply? (6)

Answer 22

Reciprocity – more likely to give if first we receive (e.g., free offering)

Scarcity – items are more attractive when they aren’t available (e.g., limited edition)

Authority – more authoritative sources are more believable

Consistency – people try not to contradict themselves

Liking – we agree with those we like or admire

Consensus – we consider others before we decide what to do (e.g., seeing a list of donor affects a donation decision)

Question 23

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 23

Object is repeatedly paired with a stimulus.

Question 24

What is instrumental conditioning?

Answer 24

Consumption of the object is positively reinforced.

Question 25

What are complex cognitive processes?

Answer 25

Learnt and reinforced behaviour such as modelling behaviour (e.g. observational learning)

Question 26

What is The Consistency Principle? (or Principle of Cognitive Consistency)

Answer 26

Consumers value harmony among their thoughts, feelings or behaviours and will seek consistency with other experiences.

“I like brand X, because it tastes terrible” Consistent?
“I like brand Y, because it does not work” Consistent?
“I like brand Z, but I don’t want to buy it” Consistent?

Question 27

What is the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance?

Answer 27

When a person is confronted with inconsistencies among attitudes and behaviours, they will take action to reduce the dissonance by changing an attitude or modifying a behaviour.

Question 28

What is the Self-Perception Theory?

Answer 28

People develop their attitudes by observing their own behaviour and concluding what attitudes must have caused it, especially when there is no previous attitude due to a lack of experience and/or the emotional response is ambiguous.

Theory suggests that people maintain consistency by inferring that we must have a positive attitude toward an object if we have bought or consumed it (assuming a freely-made choice).

Question 29

What is the foot-in-the-door technique of the self-perception theory?

Answer 29

The initial commitment on the small request will change one’s self image, therefore giving reasons for agreeing with the subsequent, larger request.

It is because people observe their own behaviours and thus infer they must have a preference for those products.

Question 30

What is Social Judgement Theory?

Answer 30

People compare an incoming new message about an issue with their existing attitude about that particular issue, and this comparison determines their response to the message (i.e., attitude change).

Question 31

What is latitude of acceptance? (Social Judgement Theory)

Answer 31

The range of message positions a person sees as reasonable or acceptable

Question 32

What is latitude of rejection?(Social Judgement Theory)

Answer 32

The range of message positions a person sees as unreasonable or objectionable.

Question 33

What is latitude of non-commitment? (Social Judgement Theory)

Answer 33

Neither acceptance nor rejection.

Question 34

What is the assimilation effect? (Social Judgement Theory)

Answer 34

When new information falls within the latitude of acceptance. When this happens, the consumer will shift their pre-existing attitudes in the direction of the new information: more positive.

Question 35

What is the contrast effect? (Social judgement theory)

Answer 35

When new information falls within the latitude of rejection. When this happens, the consumer will shift his/her attitudes away from the new message: More negative –> Boomerang Effect

Question 36

What things must you research for social judgement theory?

Answer 36

1. Current (pre-existing) attitudes
2. Widths of the latitudes of acceptance and rejection
3. Involvement

Question 37

What is Balance Theory?

Answer 37

Human beings are motivated to maintain consistency or harmony among thoughts, feelings and behaviours because people seek to avoid tension or dissonance.

Thus, people will change their relations (attitudes) in order to avoid dissonance.

Based on the consistency principle.

Question 38

What three entities does the Balance Theory specifically address?

Answer 38

1. A person (self, perceiver, or observer)
2. Another person
3. Attitude object (e.g. thing, event, action, person, etc)

Question 39

Attitude models have been developed to…?

Answer 39

Specify and explore the different elements that work together to affect evaluations of attitude objects

Question 40

Name 5 attitude models

Answer 40

1. Fishbein Model
2. Theory of Reasoned Action
3. Theory of Planned Behaviour
4. Model of Goal-Directed
5. Theory of Trying

Question 41

What do multi-attribute models assume?

Answer 41

A consumer’s attitude towards an attitude object will depend on the beliefs they have about several attributes of the object.

Question 42

Basic multi-attribute models specify what three elements?

Answer 42

Attributes: characteristics of the attitude object

Beliefs: cognitions about the specific attitude object

Importance Weights: the relative priority of an attribute to the consumer.

Question 43

The Fishbein Model measures what three components of attitude?

Answer 43

(1) Overall attitude
(2) Salient beliefs
(3) Evaluation

Question 44

What is the assumption of the Fishbein Model?

Answer 44

Ability to identify all relevant choice attributes, weigh them and sum. This may not always be true.

Question 45

The Theory of Reasoned Action is an extension of the Fishbein Model. It has several important additions, which improve its ability to predict behaviour. What are some of the additions.

Answer 45

Past purchase behaviour is a better predictor of future behaviour than behavioural intention.

Social pressures

How someone feels about buying due to the perceived consequences of a purchase.

Question 46

What is a subjective norm (SN)? (The Theory of Reasoned Action)

Answer 46

What we believe others think we should do

Question 47

What is a normative belief (NB)? (The Theory of Reasoned Action)

Answer 47

When we think that others believe an action should or should not be taken.

Question 48

What is a motivation to comply (MC)? (The Theory of Reasoned Action)

Answer 48

Degree to which consumers take into account anticipated reactions of others.

Question 49

To address the gap between attitudes and behaviour, the Theory of Planned Behaviour includes: (3)

Answer 49

(1) Attitude towards behaviour
(2) The subjective norm (social pressure) and
(3) Perceived behavioural control (i.e. belief that you can control a situation and make changes).

Question 50

The theory of planned behaviour has been applied directly to what kind of activities? (Business or leisure)

Answer 50

Leisure-related

Question 51

What is a limitation of the theory of planned behaviour?

Answer 51

The assumption that intentions and behaviours are driven by cognitive processes

Question 52

What is the Model of Goal Directed Behaviour?

Answer 52

Builds on the theory of planned behaviour, but also considers the anticipated emotions and past experience the consumer has had with the product.

Anticipated emotions linked to goals provide a powerful motivator for behaviour.

Desire: central to attitude formation.

Question 53

What is the Theory of Trying?

Answer 53

States that the criterion of behaviour in the reasoned action model should be replaced with trying to reach a goal. Additional factors might intervene between intent and performance.

Question 54

The Theory of Trying includes several components to account for complex situations in which many factors help/hinder chances of turning intentions in actions. This includes: (4)

Answer 54

Amount of control
a person has over 
situation.

Expectations of 
success or failure 
in achieving goal.

Social norms related 
to attaining the goal.

Attitude towards the 
process of trying.