CHAPTER 11
ATTITUDES AND INFLUENCING ATTITUDES
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
LO1: Define attitude and its role in consumer behavior
LO2: Summarize the three components of attitudes
LO3: Discuss attitude change strategies associated with each attitude component
SUMMARY
LO1: Define attitude and its role in consumer behavior
Attitudes can be defined as the way people think, feel, and act toward some aspect of their
LO2: Summarize the three components of attitudes
Attitudes have three components: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. The cognitive component
consists of the individual’s beliefs or knowledge about the object. It is generally assessed by using a
version of the multiattribute attitude model. Feelings or emotional reactions to an object represent the
LO3: Discuss attitude change strategies associated with each attitude component
Attitude change strategies can focus on affect, behavior, cognition, or some combination. Attempts to
change affect generally rely on classical conditioning. Change strategies focusing on behavior rely
LO4: Describe the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion
The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) is a theory about how attitudes are formed and changed
under varying conditions of involvement. The ELM suggests different communications strategies
depending on involvement. In general, detailed factual information (central cues) is effective in high–
involvement, central route situations. Low-involvement, peripheral route situations generally require
However, what is perceived as relevant can depend on the situation (e.g., attractive model and hair
may be “central” in shampoo ad but “peripheral” in car ad) and the nature of competition can bolster
the role of peripheral cues even under high involvement.
LO5: Describe the role of message source, appeal, and structure on attitudes
Three communication characteristics are important to attitudes. They are source characteristics,
message appeal characteristics, and message structure characteristics.
In terms of message appeals, the appeals used to change attitudes are important and are varied. Fear
appeals use threat of negative consequences if attitudes or behaviors are not altered. Humorous
appeals can also be effective in influencing attitudes. However, the humorous message must remain
focused on the brand or main selling point to be maximally effective. Comparative ads produce mixed
results. They are most effective for unknown brands having a strong functional advantage. The
decision to use a value-expressive or utilitarian appeal depends on whether the brand fills value–
expressive or utilitarian needs. However, this is complicated when the brand fills both types of needs.
Emotional appeals have been found to have a strong effect on attitudes toward both the ad and the
product.
LO6: Discuss segmentation and product development applications of attitudes
Consumer evaluations, feelings, and beliefs about specific product features form the basis for market
segmentation strategies, such as benefit segmentation, and for new-product development strategies.
LECTURE TIPS AND AIDS
1) Have students note on a piece of paper, individually, those attributes they would consider in the
purchase of a new car. Then have them specify their ideal performance for each attribute using a
5-point scale. Also, have them specify the importance of each attribute using a 100-point constant
sum scale. Collect this work and randomly select several students’ specifications and write them
on the blackboard. This exercise can then be used to accomplish the following in class discussion:
a) Illustrate how different individuals are in terms of their attitudes (i.e., differences in attributes,
ideal performance levels, and importance weights).
c) Illustrate how attitude scores could be computed for different automobiles based on different
beliefs.
2) Discuss how various celebrities are selected to endorse certain products. In this discussion you
may ask students:
a) What component of attitude is most affected by these endorsements: cognitive, affective, or
behavioral?
b) What role does cognitive consistency play in using celebrities to influence attitudes?
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What is an attitude?
2) What are the components of an attitude?
The cognitive components of an attitude consist of an individual’s beliefs and knowledge about an
object. The affective component represents one’s feelings or emotional reactions toward an object.
The behavioral component consists of overt actions and/or statements of behavior related to an
object.
3) Are the components of an attitude consistent? What factors reduce the apparent consistency
among attitude components?
All three components of attitude tend to be consistent and reinforce a particular attitude. That is, a
favorable attitude is generally composed of positive cognitions (beliefs), positive feelings
(affective), and intentions to use, recommend or support (behavioral).
4) What is a multiattribute attitude model?
The elements of a multiattribute attitude model include beliefs about an object’s attributes, ideal or
desired levels of performance for each attribute, and the relative importance attached to each
attribute.
5) What is attitude ambivalence?
These attitudes are less stable over time and less predictive of behavior.
6) What strategies can be used to change the following components of an attitude?
Affective: Various forms of classical conditioning, affect toward the ad or website (using humor,
7) What is meant by mere exposure?
The theory that simply presenting a brand to an individual on a large number of occasions might
make the individual’s attitude toward the brand more positive. Thus, the continued repetition of
8) What is the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?
The ELM suggests that involvement is a key determinant of how information is processed and
attitudes are changed. High involvement results in a “central route” to attitude change by which
consumers deliberately examine and process those message elements that they believe are relevant
to a meaningful and logical evaluation of the brand. Low involvement results in a “peripheral”
9) What strategies can consumers use to resist persuasion? Which consumers are most likely to do
so?
Loyal consumers engage in discrediting, discounting, and containment strategies to resist
persuasion from competitors. These involve the following:
a. Discredting—loyal consumers’ first strategy is to discredit negative information through
counter arguments, whereby the consumers look for weaknesses in competitor attacks.
10) What are the two characteristics of the source of a message that influence its ability to change
attitudes? Describe each.
Source credibility and celebrity sources. These are described in the answers to the next two
questions.
11) What is source credibility? What causes it?
A credible source is one that the target market believes will provide accurate information.
12) Why are celebrity sources sometimes effective? What risks are associated with using a celebrity
source?
A celebrity attached to the message enhances its ability to draw one’s attention, increases message
believability, may share his or her image with the product, and fans may buy the product to
13) Name five possible characteristics of an appeal that would influence or change attitudes. Describe
each.
14) Are fear appeals always effective in changing attitudes? Why?
Fear appeals make use of the threat of negative consequences if attitudes or behaviors are not
15) What characteristics should humorous ads have?
Though a humorous appeal may gain great attention and viewer satisfaction, to be effective,
information must still be communicated. As a result, the humor should be related to the product or
usage situation and generally should be used only for “non serious” products.
16) Are emotional appeals effective? Why?
Emotional ads are designed to elicit a positive affective response rather than to provide
information or arguments. Emotional appeals are often effective. These types of ads may enhance
attitude formation or change by:
a. increasing the ad’s ability to attract and maintain attention.
17) Are comparative appeals effective? Why?
Comparative ads are often more effective than noncomparative ads in generating attention,
18) What is a value-expressive appeal? A utilitarian appeal? When should each be used?
Value-expressive appeals attempt to build a personality for the product or create an image of the
19) What are the three characteristics of the message structure that influence its ability to change
attitudes? Describe each.
The three characteristics are one- versus two-sided messages, positive versus negative framing,
20) What is meant by positive message framing and negative message framing? How does the
effectiveness of a positive versus negative frame vary depending on whether it’s a goal frame or
attribute frame?
Message framing refers to presenting one of two equivalent value outcomes either in positive or
gain terms (positive framing) or in negative or loss terms (negative framing).
In attribute framing, a single attribute is the focus of the frame. A classic example is describing
ground beef as wither 80 percent fat free (positive frame) or 20 percent fat (negative frame). In
attribute framing, the positive message is usually more effective because it emphasizes the
desirable aspects of the specific attribute.
21) What are the nonverbal components of an ad? What impact do they have on attitudes?
Pictures, music, surrealism, etc., are nonverbal components of ads. By arousing an emotional
response, the nonverbal components can affect attitude. Likewise, they can provide meaning that
is not possible to convey with words.
22) When is a two-sided message likely to be more effective than a one-sided message?
The effectiveness of one- versus two-sided messages depends largely on the product type, the
23) How can attitudes guide new-product development?
Ideal performance levels, by attribute, provide a particularly useful guide for new product
development.
24) What is a benefit segment?
Discussion Questions
25) Which version of the multiattribute attitude model and which attributes would you use to assess
student attitudes toward the following? Justify your answer.
a) Student health system
b) Target store
26) Respond to the questions in Consumer Insight 11–1.
Q1 – Affective – verbal warnings of the dangers of cigarettes; Behavioral – legal barriers to
smoking in public places; Cognitive – limits on advertising which likely have weakened the
associative network related to cigarettes and smoking over time.
Q3 – Student answers will vary depending on the ads found. They do tend to paint a very positive
picture of e-cigarettes as an acceptable (socially and medically) way to enjoy smoking again.
There are themes relating to freedom to behave as desired (i.e., smoke), the sophistication of it,
and so on. Most students will likely find these appeals effective.
27) Assume you wanted to improve or create favorable attitudes among college students toward the
following. Would you focus primarily on the affective, cognitive, or behavioral component? Why?
a) ASPCA
b) BMW motorcycles
e) Not driving after drinking
f) Using the bus for most local trips
28) Suppose you used the multiattribute attitude model and developed a fruit-based carbonated drink that
was successful in the United States. Could you use the same model in the following countries? If not,
how would it have to change?
a) India b) Chile
29) Suppose you wanted to form highly negative attitudes toward smoking among college students.
a) Which attitude component would you focus on? Why?
b) Which message characteristic would you use? Why?
c) What type of appeal would you use? Why?
Students will generally choose either the cognitive or affective component. Either could work. A fear
30) What communications characteristics would you use in an attempt to improve college students’
attitudes toward the following?
a) Buick
b) Levi’s
c) Volunteering at a local shelter
TYPE OF APPEAL a. b. c. d. e. f.
Highly credible source
Celebrity source
Fear appeal
Humor appeal
Comparative ad
Emotional appeal
One-sided message
Two-sided message
Value-expressive appeal
Utilitarian appeal
Nonverbal features
31) Is it ethical to use fear appeals to increase demand for the following?
a) Complexion medication among teenagers
b) Dandruff-control shampoos
32) Name two appropriate and two inappropriate celebrity spokespersons for each of the products or
causes in Question 27. Justify your selection.
Answers will vary. It is best if you specify the target audience (college students works well
particularly if you then shift the target to senior citizens). Students should explain why they chose
33) What benefit segments do you think exist for the following?
a) Crossroads Guitar Festival
b) NASCAR
c) Major art museums