Consumer Attitudes

Introduction:

According to Martin Fishbein, there are over 100 different definitions of attitude. Gordon W. Allport proposed a widely used definition more than five decades ago: “Attitudes are learned predispositions to respond to an object or class of objects in a consistently favourable or unfavourable way.”

They are a person’s thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Attitudes express inner feelings representing a person’s likes and dislikes and how they apply to retail brands and store formats. Consumer attitudes play a significant role in determining a store’s reputation. Consumers will often choose the store with the highest rating, which they are predisposed to when determining where to shop.

For example, James H Myers and William H. Reynolds believe that “Attitudes directly affect purchase decisions and these directly affect attitudes through experience in using the product or service. In a broad sense, purchase decisions are based solely upon attitudes existing at the time of purchase, however these attitudes might have been formed.”

A consumer attitude can be defined as an individual’s favourable or unfavourable feelings toward a product. As we all know, people with a positive attitude are more inclined to acquire a product, which leads to the likelihood of enjoying or disliking it.

Consumer attitude comprises beliefs towards, feelings towards and behavioural intentions towards some objects.

• Consumers’ beliefs are essential since they might be positive or negative about an object. Some may argue that tea is beneficial and relieves tension, while others may argue that drinking too much harms one’s health. Human beliefs are not always correct and might shift depending on the circumstances.
• Consumers have strong feelings about some products or brands. These sensations are sometimes founded on certain beliefs, and others are not. When a person thinks of cheese burst pizza, for example, he gets anxious because of the enormous amount of cheese or fat it contains.
• Consumers’ behavioural intentions reveal how they intend to use things. This is sometimes, but not always, a logical outcome of beliefs or sentiments. For example, a person may dislike a restaurant but visit it since it is a favourite hangout spot for his buddies.

Characteristics Attitudes:

1. Difficult to measure:

Individuals’ attitudes are reflected in their actions. It’s a broad term for how a person reacts to an event. An individual’s conduct differs in different conditions, and he reacts differently. Individuals’ attitudes might change depending on their circumstances and mood. Consider the following advertisement for Fevicol. If a person is in a good mood, he may act differently when he sees the ad. He might smile or chuckle. However, if he is not in a good mood, the ad may worsen his mood, and he may yell at those who are laughing at the ad. Attitudes are difficult to quantify since they vary depending on the environment.

2. Can lead to inflexibility and stereotypes:

As previously said, people who behave in a certain way in certain circumstances can be stereotyped for such conduct. People may anticipate a consistent attitude in all scenarios. Because people are appraised based on their first impressions, their attitude during the first meeting could be considered permanent. For example, suppose you and a friend once attended an action movie. He could think you exclusively watch action movies.

3. Formed largely from continuous process of socialization:

Attitudes are not created in a single day or so but over time as a result of a continual socialisation process. They develop when we contact more people or, at times, several people in our society. Because society comprises a variety of people, we tend to develop diverse viewpoints. As we meet the same individual repeatedly, we tend to develop an attitude that is unique to him.

4. It is a positive attitude:

This has recently been highlighted further. People have a variety of perspectives. Some people are optimistic about a circumstance, whereas others are pessimistic. It differs from one person to the next. Post-purchase evaluations shape attitudes, whether positive or negative. If a customer is entirely satisfied with a product, he will acquire a favourable opinion of that brand, and vice versa.

5. Once formed, it is not easy to change:

Once developed, challenging to alter: Once a person develops a particular attitude about a brand or a person, it is extremely difficult to change that attitude. If a person is dissatisfied with a brand’s goods, he may acquire a negative attitude about that brand and stop using it. Their age, status, or education can influence individuals’ attitudes. As a person ages, his feelings about a particular brand or person may shift.

Functions of Attitude:

Understanding the functions of attitudes helps in learning how they serve consumers. According to Daniel Katz, attitudes perform four essential functions for individuals:

• Utilitarian function
• Value-expressive function
• Ego-defensive function
• Knowledge function

1. Utilitarian function:

This attitude function assists customers in obtaining desired outcomes. We have particular brand attitudes in part due to the functionality of a brand. If we have previously found a product helpful, we are more likely to view it favourably. For example, a buyer who prioritises speedy relief while choosing an anti-cold medication will be guided to the brand that provides this benefit. On the other hand, consumer attitudes will steer them away from brands that are unlikely to meet the “immediate relief” requirements. When it offers immediate relief, the Coldarin (an anti-cold medication) advertisement demonstrates the utilitarian role of attitudes.

2. Value-expressive function:

In a high-involvement product, attitudes reflect the consumer’s self-image, values, and worldview. If a customer sector has a good attitude toward being “in style,” this outlook will likely reflect that attitude. For example, a young man buying a motorcycle may have an image of a macho, dominant person who enjoys having the upper hand. Buying a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 cc or a Bajaj Pulsar 180 cc might demonstrate aggressiveness. Advertisers frequently leverage the value-expressive character of attitudes to suggest that purchasing or using a particular product will lead to desired achievement, self-improvement, or independence.

3. Ego-defensive Function:

This function is aided by attitudes that shield the ego, or self-image, against concerns and threats. Ads for mouthwashes, toothpaste, deodorants, anti-pimple treatments and cosmetics, among other personal care items, are a good example. Using particular items, advertising capitalises on the fear of social embarrassment, rejection, and higher social acceptance. This helps people have a good attitude toward companies connected with social acceptance, confidence, appreciation, or being attractive and appealing to those of the opposite gender.

4. Knowledge Function:

Individuals seek consistency, stability, and comprehension and greatly desire information. To meet this demand, attitudes help organize the vast amount of data people are exposed to daily. They filter out extraneous data and save just what is relevant to them. The knowledge function reduces uncertainty and confusion as advertising obtains product and service information. Comparative advertising aims to change people’s minds about a product by emphasising its advantages over a competitor’s.

Structural Models and  Theories of Attitude:

Psychologists have devoted considerable efforts to understanding the relationship between attitudes and behaviour, and several models have been developed to understand the underlying dimensions of an attitude (Richard J Lutz).

1. Tri-component Attitude Model:

According to this model, attitudes are consist of three main components:

• Cognitive component (knowledge, beliefs)
• Affective component (emotions, feelings)
• Conative component (behavioural aspect)

• Cognitive Component: The cognitive component is the first. It consists of a person’s knowledge or perspective of a few products or services based on personal experience or relevant information from numerous sources. This understanding usually leads to a consumer’s views and specific behaviour.

Example: An individual may believe that ThumsUp:

1. is popular with younger consumers
2. is moderately sweet
3. contains a lot of caffeine
4. is competitively priced
5. is marketed by a large company

The total configuration of beliefs about ThumsUp represents the cognitive component of attitude about this soft drink brand. It is essential to realise that beliefs need not be correct or accurate. They need to exist.

• Affective Component: The affective component is the second part. It comprises a person’s feelings, thoughts, and emotions about a specific brand or product. They are used as the major criterion for evaluating candidates. For example, sadness, happiness, anger, or tension impact a customer’s attitude.

Consumers frequently evaluate items in the context of a particular circumstance, and their feelings about the product may shift as the scenario shifts. For example, a student studying for a test feels that the caffeine in ThumsUp will keep me awake. As a result of these beliefs, positive feelings (evaluative) responses are possible. After the test, the same student might avoid consuming ThumsUp late at night.

Feelings are frequently the outcome of specific product attribute evaluations, but feelings can also precede and influence ideas (cognition, thinking). Sometimes, people may enjoy or detest a product without developing beliefs about it. According to R B Zajonc, our initial reaction to a product may be liking or disliking it without any cognitive grounding. This initial impression can impact how we react to the goods.

The affective component is critical to understanding attitudes because it summarises customers’ predispositions to be favourable or unfavourable toward the attitude object. Attitudes are meaningful only because the cognitive component or beliefs influence evaluations. Brand evaluations (feelings) determine the proclivity to rate brands as favourable or unfavourable.

• Conative Component: The final component is the conative component, which comprises a person’s intention or likelihood of purchasing a specific product. It usually refers to a person’s genuine actions or intentions. In certain situations, beliefs and feelings about a chosen brand do not have to change for consumers to establish an intention to buy if the economic reward is large enough. Example: A sharp reduction in price or a special deal offer may be a powerful inducement for consumers to try a less-favoured brand.

2. Multi-attribute Attitude Models:

Consumers’ attitudes toward an attitude “object” are a function of their observation and judgement of significant features or beliefs held about that attitude “object,” according to these models. For example, the ‘object’ of the attitude could be a product, service, or issue. To put it another way, many attribute beliefs are evaluative. For example, in the case of a car, higher mileage per litre of gasoline, appealing styling, and dependable performance are all considered positive thoughts. There are many different types of multi-attribute models, but Martin Fishbein and Icek Ajzen models have sparked a lot of research.

• Attitude-toward-object Model:

This is the most basic approach and is best for assessing attitudes about specific product/service categories or brands. A product has numerous characteristics (size, features, style, and so on), and a person will process information and create opinions about many of these characteristics. Consumers have a favourable attitude toward products or brands they believe have sufficient positive characteristics. On the other hand, they have unfavourable feelings toward brands that they perceive lack an adequate degree of desirable traits or have too many undesirable traits. The following equation is commonly used to represent the model:

Attitude0 =

 Where,

Attitude0 = the person’s overall attitude toward the brand

bi = the strength of a person’s belief that the brand contains attribute i

ei = person’s evaluation or intensity of feeling towards attribute i (importance of attribute)

n = the number of relevant beliefs for that person.

Thus, consumers tend to have favourable attitudes toward offerings and/or brands with sufficient attributes deemed important and evaluated as positive. On the other hand, they would have unfavourable attitudes toward offerings and/or brands that do not have the desired attributes or have many negative attributes.

• The Attitude-towards-Behavior Model:

 The attitude-toward-behaviour model focuses on the individual’s acts of behaviour towards the attitude object rather than mere effect or feeling towards the object. The premise is that a consumer may have positive feelings towards an attitude object. Still, he may have a negative attitude toward buying such a product/service. Thus, a positive attitude towards the offering may not necessarily be an act of purchase. For example, let us take the example of a Philips Home Theatre. A consumer knows a Philips Home Theatre would have a bigger screen and better audio-visual effects. He would also be mindful of the high price and may decide against the act of purchase. Either he would not have the money, or he may not think it wise to spend so much money on a TV. Thus, while he has positive feelings and a favourable attitude towards the product offering, he does not have a positive feeling to indulge in purchasing. The model is depicted in the form of the following equation:

The model is depicted in the form of the following equation:

Attitude0 =  

where,

Attitude o = the overall measure of affect for or against carrying out an act of behaviour

bi = the strength of the belief that an ith action will lead to an outcome (e.g., the purchase of a Home Theatre would lead to better audiovisual impact);

ei = an evaluation of the ith outcome (e.g., the “favourableness” of a bigger screen, better audiovisual effects, unfavourableness of the cost)

∑ is indicative that there are n salient outcomes over which the b and e combinations are summated.

Consumers could tend to have favourable attitudes towards the product/service offering but a negative attitude towards the act of purchase (behaviour).

• The Theory-of-Reasoned-Action Model:

The theory of reasoned action model attempts to study the impact of

1. instances of behaviour, and
2. subjective norms, on the tri-components that make up attitudes. The model incorporates these two factors that act as moderators and finally affect human attitudes. The figure depicts what is referred to as “reasoned action” The model can be explained as working backwards from behaviour (i.e., purchasing a product/service offering). A consumer’s behaviour is based on his intention to act, i.e., overall favourability toward the purchase. Certain factors lead to an intention to act. These are the consumer’s attitude toward behaviour and the subjective norm. Consumers’ attitudes towards behaviour include beliefs and attitudes about specific behaviour acts.

Factors underlying attitude are:

1. beliefs that the behaviour leads to specific outcomes; and
2. evaluation of the outcome.

On the other hand, the subjective norm refers to the norms in the specific social context. Factors underlying the subjective norm are

1. the beliefs that specific referents think as to whether the act of behavior should be performed or not; and
2. motivation to comply with the particular referents.

A consumer’s behaviour is determined by his intention to act, which is influenced by his attitude toward conduct and subjective norms. These are influenced even more by underlying variables. As a result, the idea of reasoned action indicates interconnected attitude components. Intention comes first, followed by beliefs, attitudes, and subjective norms; the theory emphasises that attitudes are linked to behaviour indirectly through intention.

3. The Theory of Trying to Consume:

The theory of trying to consume concerns a buying situation in which the action or act of behaviour (in terms of actual purchase) is uncertain and may occur at any moment. According to this idea, the action or act of behaviour is directed toward a goal (something the consumer intends to or is attempting to do in the future). The outcome (in terms of purchase, possession, and use) of such trying processes cannot be predicted with precision.

The idea represents a consumer’s attempts at consumption that are thwarted by personal and environmental obstacles, preventing the action (act of purchase) from taking place. Personal barriers arise when a person is confronted with an approach-avoidance conflict, in which he desires a goal that also has a harmful component; for example, a lady enjoys chocolate cake, but it has a lot of calories, which might lead to weight gain. Environmental barriers occur when forces in the environment hinder an action from taking place; for example, a person wants to eat at a particular restaurant, but when he arrives, there is no place to sit and eat because it is too crowded.

The theory of trying to consume proposes that striving to behave substitutes conduct (as proposed by Fishbein in the theory of reasoned action model). The intention to try, driven by attitude toward trying and social norms of trying, comes before attempting to behave or achieve a goal.

(1) The individual consumer’s attitude toward success and expectations of success,

(2) attitude toward failure and expectations of failure, and

(3) attitude toward the process influences their willingness to try.

Attitude toward the process is a person’s judgment of how attempting something makes him feel, regardless of the result or outcome.

Moving backwards, the act of attempting to behave is influenced by

1. a) the purpose to try,
2. b) the frequency of previous attempts, and
3. c) the recentness of previous attempts.

A person’s intention to try is influenced by three factors:

1. a) attitude toward trying,
2. b) frequency of previous attempts, and
3. c) social norms around trying.

A person’s attitude toward success, failure, and the process, as well as their expectations for success and failure, influence their willingness to try. The sum of the “product” of the consequence likelihood and the consequence assessments determines each attitude (i.e., attitude toward success, failure, and process).

Each of the three attitudes, towards success, failure and process, are determined by the summation of the “product” of the:

1. a) Consequence likelihood: the chance that Arjun can get admission to a good business school in the US; represented by b
2. b) Consequence evaluations: how happy and proud Arjun will be when he gets admission to a good business school in the US; represented by e

• bi = Consequence likelihood contingent on success
• ei = Consequence evaluations contingent on success
• bj = Consequence likelihood contingent on failure
• ej = Consequence evaluations contingent on failure
• bk = Consequence likelihood contingent on process

 

4. The Attitude-towards-the-Ad Model:

This model emphasises the impact of a print or audio-visual advertisement on creating customer attitudes regarding product and service offerings and brands. When a consumer is exposed to an ad, the cognition (knowledge) and affect (feeling) components of their attitude are formed; this leads to judgements about the commercial (cognition) and feelings about the commercial (affective) (affect). The cognitive component contributes to brand belief and attitude toward the advertisement. The affect component also influences brand belief and attitude toward the advertisement. As a result, the consumer’s attitude toward the ad and thoughts about the brand are influenced by cognition and emotions. Simply seeing the ad can lead to a belief in the brand. Finally, the formation of an attitude toward the brand is influenced by one’s conviction and attitude toward the advertisement.

According to the model’s theory, consumers form judgments and feelings due to exposure to advertisements. A consumer not only develops attitudes toward the commercial but also develops opinions about the brand.

According to research, the approach is more applicable to new product and service offerings than existing ones. The advertisement promotes a positive attitude toward the brand and encourages others to try it. As a result, marketers must exercise caution when creating advertisements, particularly for new brands and unique products and services. According to research, regardless of the level of customer involvement, whether high or low, both the core (message content) and peripheral (context) influence the creation of beliefs and attitudes about the brand, ultimately leading to the brand’s attitude. Marketers should be aware of these results.

The ABCs of Attitudes:

Cognitive, affective, and behavioural factors all influence our attitudes. Consider an environmentalist’s stance on recycling, which is almost undoubtedly positive:

• In terms of effect: They feel happy when they recycle.
• In terms of behaviour: They regularly recycle their bottles and cans.
• In terms of cognition: They believe recycling is the responsible thing to do.

The alignment of our feelings, behaviours, and thoughts about composting supports an overall positive attitude. The ABCs together form the “DNA” of an attitude.

Response Hierarchies: Which Comes First?

Although most attitudes are influenced by affect, behaviour, and cognition, there is still variation across people and attitudes. Some attitudes are more likely to be based on feelings, while others are based on behaviours, and yet others are based on ideas. For example, your feelings regarding chocolate ice cream are most likely influenced by effect—while you can define its flavour, you may enjoy it. On the other hand, your attitude about your toothbrush is most likely more cognitive (you understand the importance of its function). Different aspects of your personality may be depending on your actions. For example, your attitude toward taking notes during lectures is likely to be influenced, at least partly, by whether or not you take notes frequently.

It is possible to think, feel, and do in any order. Initially, psychologists considered that humans build attitudes in a predetermined order: first, we think about the thing, then analyse our thoughts about it, and last, we act:

• Cognition → Affect → Behaviour [C-A-B].

Research, however, shows that we form attitudes in different sequences based on different circumstances. Suppose we’re not very involved in or care little about a purchase. In that case, we may impulsively buy a product because we remember a catchphrase about it instead of carefully evaluating it with other products. In that case, action precedes feeling and thought:

• Behaviour → Affect → Cognition [B-A-C].

Conversely, feelings — rather than thoughts — may drive the entire decision process; our emotional reactions may drive us to buy a product simply because we like its name, packaging design, or the brand image that ads create. In this case, we see the product, have a feeling about it, and buy it:

• Affect → Behaviour → Cognition [A-B-C].

 

Involvement Levels and their Response Hierarchies

Table that lists involvement levels and respective examples
Involvement Level	Example	Response Hierarchy
High	Vacation, wedding dress, new car	C – A – B
Low	Car wash, tin foil, toilet cleaner	B – A – C
(Impulse)	Face masks, candles, computer games	A – B – C

 

Although most attitudes are determined by affect, behaviour, and cognition, there is variability across people and attitudes. Some attitudes are more likely to be based on feelings, some are more likely to be based on behaviours, and some are more likely to be based on beliefs. For example, your attitude toward chocolate ice cream is primarily determined by effect—although you can describe its taste, you may mostly like it. On the other hand, your attitude toward your toothbrush is probably more cognitive (you understand the importance of its function). Still, other of your attitudes may be based more on behaviour. For example, your attitude toward note-taking during lectures probably depends, at least partly, on whether you regularly take notes.

Different people may hold attitudes toward the same attitude object for various reasons. For example, some people vote for politicians because they like their policies, whereas others vote for (or against) politicians because they like (or dislike) their public persona. Although you might think cognition would be more critical, political scientists have shown that many voting decisions are based primarily on effect. Indeed, it is fair to say that the affective component of attitudes is generally the strongest and most important (Abelson, Kinder, Peters, & Fiske, 1981; Stangor, Sullivan, & Ford, 1991).

The Principle of Attitude Consistency:

The Principle of Attitude Consistency (that the ABCs of affect, behaviour, and cognition are generally in line with each other for any given attitude object) predicts that our attitudes (as measured by a self-report measure, for example) will likely guide our behaviour. Meta-analyses have found a significant and substantial positive correlation between the various components of attitudes and that attitudes expressed in self-report measures predict behaviour (Glasman & Albarracn, 2006).

When we look at this through the lens of consumer behaviour, we can see that if a consumer cares deeply about sustainability in the production, consumption, and disposal of consumer goods, they will act accordingly: they will buy sustainably produced goods and consume (and dispose of) them in a way that minimises their negative impact on land, water, and air.

Normative Influences:

Consumer attitudes and behaviour can be influenced significantly by norms. Norms explain how to conduct what society has established as good, right, and essential, and most society members follow them. Written rules are established formal norms. They are behaviours devised and agreed upon to suit and serve the most significant number of individuals. Employee manuals, college entrance exam criteria, and “no running” signs at swimming pools are all examples of formal standards. Formal norms are the most detailed and precisely expressed and the most rigidly enforced of the numerous forms of norms. On the other hand, formal norms are enforced to varied degrees and reflected in cultural values.

For example, money is highly valued in Canada, and monetary offences are punished. Robbing a bank is illegal, and banks take considerable measures to prevent such crimes. People lock up valuables and install anti-theft equipment to protect their houses and cars. Speeding while driving is a less strongly enforced societal norm. While speeding is illegal, moving beyond the speed limit or in the “flow” of traffic is standard practice. Speeding rules exist; however, there is a wide range of enforcement in official norms.

There are many formal norms, but the list of informal norms—everyday behaviours that are universally accepted—is much longer. People learn informal norms through observation, imitation, and general socialisation. Some informal norms are taught explicitly—“Kiss your Aunt Edna” or “Use your napkin”—while others are learned through observation, such as the repercussions of others breaking a rule.

• Social norms:

According to Cialdini and Trost (1998), social norms are “agreed group rules and standards that regulate human behaviour without the force of legislation.” Norms can also be thought of as representing what we should or should not do. They represent the group’s approved way of thinking, feeling, and acting. It becomes evident to most of us when someone breaks a social standard. Have you ever been there and thought to yourself, “I can’t believe that person!” “Don’t they realise that’s not appropriate?” In public spaces, a slew of rules must be followed. The organisations we belong to, and value frequently socialise us early on regarding what is expected and acceptable thinking and behaviour. We usually become aware of the presence of norms only when they are broken.

• Subjective norms:

Subjective norms are the social pressure an individual feels when doing or failing to do a given behaviour (Ajzen, 1988). Subjective norms are influenced by one’s view of one’s parents, friends, lovers, acquaintances, and coworkers’ beliefs. This tremendously impacts how people’s perceptions of behaviour and viewpoints are influenced.

• Descriptive norms:

“the perception of what most people do in a given situation” describes descriptive norms (Burger, 2021). Most of us are driven to do the right thing most of the time. We will do what society expects: put trash in a proper container, speak softly in libraries, and tip our waiter. However, it is not always clear what society expects of us. We frequently rely on descriptive norms in these situations (Cialdini, Reno, & Kallgren, 1990).

Researchers have demonstrated the utility of descriptive norms in various fields. When homeowners discovered that they were using more energy than their neighbours, they cut back on their usage (Schultz, Nolan, Cialdini, Goldstein, & Griskevicius, 2007). When told that other students had chosen the healthy meal option, undergraduates chose it too (Burger et al., 2010). When a hanger in the bathroom informed hotel visitors that this is what most guests did, they were more likely to reuse their towels (Goldstein, Cialdini, & Griskevicius, 2008). When it was revealed that most people took the stairs to one or two levels, they began to use the stairs instead of the elevator (Burger & Shelton, 2011).