Attitudes

SESSION OVERVIEW

  • Motivation

    • Definition and significance in consumer behavior

    • Distinction between primary and secondary needs

    • Interaction of self-image in need concretization

    • Overview of positive and negative motivations

    • Theories on motivation from Freud, Maslow, and Alderfer

EMOTION AND ATTITUDES

SESSION OBJECTIVES

  • By the end of this session, you will be able to:

    • Differentiate between emotion and mood, identifying the basic emotions.

    • Describe how emotions arise through physiological and cognitive processes.

    • Define attitudes using the ABC model (Affect, Behavior, Cognition).

    • Explain how attitudes form and change, influenced by conditioning and social factors.

    • Apply the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), distinguishing between central and peripheral routes, to analyze real advertisements.

    • Recognize tactics to resist persuasion.

EMOTIONS

4.1.1 Definition of Emotions

  • Short-lived feeling states associated with specific events.

  • Can be categorized as positive or negative, with varying degrees of arousal.

  • Moods differ in that they last longer and are not tied to specific events.

  • Both emotions and moods significantly influence consumer choices.

4.1.2 Basic Dimensions of Emotions

  • Eight core emotions:

    1. Joy

    2. Trust

    3. Fear

    4. Surprise

    5. Sadness

    6. Disgust

    7. Anger

    8. Anticipation

  • Mixed emotions can occur, such as a blend of fear and surprise resulting in shock.

  • Opposing emotions cannot coexist at the same moment.

4.1.3 Origin of Emotions

  • Emotional theories include:

    1. James-Lange Theory: Arousal causes emotion labeling (e.g., racing heart interpreted as fear).

    2. Schachter-Singer Theory: Emotions arise from the interplay of arousal and context (e.g., same racing heart could be interpreted as love or fear depending on the context).

  • Emotions consist of three components:

    • Arousal: Biological response.

    • Appraisal: Cognitive interpretation.

    • Expression: Physiological manifestation through facial and vocal expression.

4.1.4 Significance of Emotions in Marketing

  • Emotions are predictors of attention, memory, and shareability of marketing content.

  • When consumers engage with products, in-store or app UX should aim to create positive micro-feelings.

  • Brands often associate positive feelings with sensory cues (e.g., logos or jingles).

ATTITUDES

4.2.1 Definition of Attitudes

  • Attitudes are preferences or aversions towards products and services.

  • They explain consistency in behavior across different situations and among different people.

  • Attitude definition:

    • An individual's thought process regarding someone or something.

    • It encapsulates feelings and behaviors towards an object.

  • Historical context:

    • Allport (1935): "Social psychology is the study of attitudes; it's the core concept of contemporary social psychology."

4.2.2 The ABC Model of Attitudes

  • The ABC model encompasses:

    • Affective Component: How it feels emotionally.

    • Behavioral Component: Actions taken.

    • Cognitive Component: Beliefs held.

  • These components are not in a fixed order and can lead to cognitive dissonance when inconsistency is present.

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

  • Definition:

    • An unpleasant tension occurring due to contradictory beliefs or when actions contradict beliefs.

  • Key components of cognitive dissonance theory:

    1. Sensitivity to inconsistencies.

    2. Recognition of inconsistencies leads to dissonance and acts as a motivator to resolve it.

    3. Dissonance resolution methods include:

    • Justifying behavior by changing beliefs.

    • Changing behavior to align with beliefs.

    • Modifying perceptions of actions.

  • Example related to smoking:

    • Smokers might reduce the perceived health risks to justify their smoking behavior instead of quitting.

ORIGINS OF ATTITUDES

  1. Built-in Sensitivities:

    • Biological predispositions influencing temperament and preferences.

  2. Reasoned Considerations:

    • Differentiates between cognitive and affective attitudes, for instance:

      • Cognitive-based: Based on beliefs (e.g., Choosing a vacuum based on efficiency).

      • Affective-based: Based on feelings or values (e.g., Supporting a cause like abortion for personal values).

  3. Social Influences:

    • Social learning theory demostration (Bandura):

      • The infamous Bobo doll experiment, showing imitation of behavior based on observed aggression.

    • Social comparisons that affect self-identity:

      • Upward comparisons can inspire while downward comparisons can reinforce self-esteem.

  4. Conditioning:

    • Classical conditioning involves associating neutral stimuli with emotional responses (e.g., jingles leading to product cravings).

    • Operant conditioning where behaviors are reinforced through consequences (e.g., loyalty programs).

  5. Mere Exposure Effect:

    • Repeated exposure enhances familiarity and positivity toward products, often without direct persuasion.

ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOR CONNECTION

4.4 Theoretical Context

  • Recognition that attitudes don’t always predict behavior; a behavioral intention mediates this relationship.

  • Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA):

    • Attitudes towards behavior and subjective norms drive intentions which influence behaviors.

  • Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB):

    • Extends TRA by integrating Perceived Behavioral Control:

      • Factors influencing control include barriers (time, money, skills) and enablers (reminders, ease of action).

    • Example scenario: bringing a cup to campus is contingent on personal attitude and social norms, along with perceived behavioral control.

MARKETING IMPLICATIONS

4.5 Strategies for Changing Attitudes

  • Marketers can indeed alter attitudes by understanding how they function:

    1. Changing Beliefs: Providing new information or reframing existing facts.

    2. Changing Feelings: Associating brands with positive emotions (e.g., Coca-Cola with happiness).

    3. Changing Behaviors: Examples include trials or promotions to foster new habits, eventually reshaping beliefs and attitudes.

  • Negative emotional appeals, such as fear, can be effectively managed, provided the audience is led to believe they can act positively in response.

ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL (ELM)

  • Overview of the two routes to persuasion:

    1. Central Route: Increased thoughtfulness leads to stable, long-term attitude change.

    2. Peripheral Route: Reliance on superficial cues results in temporary attitude shifts.

  • The effectiveness of the messaging route is determined by motivation and ability to process the information provided.

RESISTANCE TO PERSUASION

4.7 Mechanisms of Resistance

  • People may push back against persuasive messages due to:

    • Perception of manipulation.

    • Having already formed firm beliefs.

    • Feelings of limited freedom.

    • Prior exposure to counterarguments (inoculation).

  • Reactance Theory: Suggests that perceived threats to personal freedoms can lead to increased desire for the restricted behavior.

  • Strategies for overcoming reactance include fostering an environment of choice and autonomy that paradoxically maintains freedom while promoting desired behaviors.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Recognizing the profound impact of emotions and attitudes on consumer behavior is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies.

  • Marketers can reshape consumer attitudes through various methods, including modifying belief systems, emotional connections, and behavioral influences.

  • Understanding the ELM allows for strategic communication that can effectively influence consumer behavior on both a temporary and lasting basis.

  • Awareness of potential resistance to persuasion shapes how marketing messages are crafted and delivered to maximize impact.