Chapter 7

Attitudes and Persuasion

CONSUMER
BEHAVIOR, 9e
Michael R. Solomon

01/21/2023 7-1
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
 Chapter Objectives
When you finish this chapter, you should
understand why:
• It’s important for consumer researchers to
understand the nature and power of attitudes.
• Attitudes are more complex than they first
appear.
• We form attitudes in several ways.

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-2
 Chapter Objectives (continued)
When you finish this chapter, you should
understand why:
• A need to maintain consistency among all of our
attitudinal components motivates us to alter one
or more of them.
• We use attitude models to identify specific
components and combine them to predict a
consumer’s overall attitude toward a product or
brand.

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-3
 Chapter Objectives (continued)
When you finish this chapter, you should
understand why:
• The communications model identifies several
important components for marketers when they
try to change consumers’ attitudes toward
products and services.
• The consumer who processes such a message
is not necessarily the passive receiver of
information marketers once believed him to be.

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-4
 Chapter Objectives (continued)
When you finish this chapter, you should
understand why:
• Several factors influence a message source’s
effectiveness.
• The way a marketer structures his message
determines how persuasive it will be.
• Audience characteristics help to determine
whether the nature of the source or the message
itself will be relatively more effective.

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-5
 The Power of Attitudes
• Attitude: a lasting, general evaluation of people,
objects, advertisements, or issues
• Attitude object (A ): anything toward which one
O

has an attitude

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-6
 Functional Theory of Attitudes

UTILITARIAN VALUE-EXPRESSIVE
FUNCTION: FUNCTION:

Relates to rewards Expresses consumer’s

and punishments values or self-concept

EGO-DEFENSIVE
KNOWLEDGE
FUNCTION:
FUNCTION:
Protect ourselves from
Need for order, structure,
external threats
or meaning
or internal feelings

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-7
 Discussion
• Imagine that you work for the marketing
department of your college or university and
have segmented students into four different
clusters, each representing one of the four
functions identified by Katz.
• Develop a marketing strategy based on each of
the four functions to motivate students to stay in
school and complete their degrees.

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-8
 ABC Model of Attitudes
• An attitude has three components:
• Affect: the way a consumer feels about an
attitude object
• Behavior: person’s intentions to do something
with regard to an attitude object
• Cognition: beliefs a consumer has about an
attitude object

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-9
 Figure 7.1 Hierarchies of Effects

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-10
 Attitude Toward the Advertisement
• We form attitudes toward objects other than the
product that can influence our product
selections.
• We often form product attitudes from its ads
• Ad: attitude toward advertiser + evaluations of
ad execution + ad evoked mood + ad arousal
effects on consumer + viewing context

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-11
 Attitude Commitment

INTERNALIZATION
Highest level: deep-seeded attitudes become part
of consumer’s value system

IDENTIFICATION
Mid-level: attitudes formed in order to conform to
another person or group

COMPLIANCE
Lowest level: consumer forms attitude because it
gains rewards or avoids punishments

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-12
 Consistency Principle
• We value/seek harmony among thoughts,
feelings, and behaviors
• We will change components to make them
consistent
• Relates to the theory of cognitive dissonance –
we take action to resolve dissonance when our
attitudes and behaviors are inconsistent

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-13
 Discussion
• Interview a student next to you about a behavior
that he or she has that is inconsistent with his or
her attitudes (e.g., attitudes toward healthy
eating or active lifestyle, attitudes toward
materialism, etc.)
• Ask the student to elaborate on why he or she
has the behavior, then try to identify the way the
person has resolved dissonant elements.

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-14
 Self-Perception Theory

FOOT-IN-THE-DOOR TECHNIQUE
Consumer is more likely to comply with a request if he has
first agreed to comply with a smaller request

LOW-BALL TECHNIQUE
Person is asked for a small favor and is informed after
agreeing to it that it will be very costly.

DOOR-IN-THE-FACE TECHNIQUE
Person is first asked to do something extreme (which he
refuses), then asked to do something smaller.

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-15
 Social Judgment Theory
• We assimilate new information about attitude
objects in light of what we already know/feel
• Initial attitude = frame of reference
• Latitudes of acceptance and rejection
• Assimilation effects
• Contrast effects
• Example: “Choosy mothers choose Jif
Peanut Butter”

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-16
 Balance Theory
• Considers how a person might perceive relations
among different attitude objects and how he
might alter attitudes to maintain consistency
• Triad attitude structures:
• Person
• Perception of attitude object
• Perception of other person/object

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-17
 Figure 7.2 Balance Theory

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-18
 Multiattribute Attitude Models
• Consumer’s attitudes toward an attitude object
depend on beliefs she has about object
attributes
• Three elements of multiattribute
• Attributes of Ao
• Beliefs about Ao
• Importance weights

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-19
 The Fishbein Model

Salient Beliefs

Object-Attribute Linkages

Evaluation

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-20
 Table 7.1 Saundra’s College Decision

Beliefs (β)
Attribute Import. (I) Smith Princeton Rutgers Northland

Academic reputation 6 8 9 6 3
All women 7 9 3 3 3
Cost 4 2 2 6 9
Proximity to home 3 2 2 6 9
Athletics 1 1 2 5 1
Party atmosphere 2 1 3 7 9
Library facilities 5 7 9 7 2
Attitude Score 163 142 153 131

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-21
 Marketing Applications
of the Multiattribute Model

Capitalize on Relative Advantage

Strengthen Perceived Linkages

Add a New Attribute

Influence Competitor’s Ratings

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-22
 The Extended Fishbein Model:
The Theory of Reasoned Action

• Intentions versus behavior: measure behavioral

intentions, not just intentions
• Social pressure: acknowledge the power of other
people in purchasing decision
• Attitude toward buying: measure attitude toward
the act of buying, not just the product

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-23
 Figure 7.3 Theory of Trying

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-24
 How Do Marketers Change Attitudes?

Reciprocity Scarcity

Authority Consistency

Liking Consensus

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-25
 Tactical Communications Options
• Who will be source of
message?
• How should message be
constructed?
• What media will transmit
message?
• What target market
characteristics will influence
ad’s acceptance?

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-26
 Figure 7.4
The Traditional Communications Model

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-27
 Figure 7.5
An Updated Communications Model

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-28
 New Message Formats
• M-commerce - marketers promote goods and
services via wireless devices
• New social media platforms
• Blogging
• Video blogging (vlogging)
• Podcasting
• Tweeting
• Virtual worlds
• Widgets
01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-29
 The Source
• Source effects mean the same words by
different people can have very different
meanings
• A “source” may be chosen due to expertise,
fame, attractiveness, or similarity
• What makes a good source?
• Source credibility: a source’s perceived
expertise, objectivity, or trustworthiness
• Source attractiveness: social value

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-30
 Star Power

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-31
 Nonhuman Endorsers

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-32
 Decisions to Make About the Message
• Should we use pictures or words?
• How often should message be repeated?
• Should it draw an explicit conclusion?
• Should it show both sides of argument?
• Should it explicitly compare product to
competitors?
• Should it arouse emotions?
• Should it be concrete or based on imagery?

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-33
 The Message
Table 7.2 Characteristics of Good and Bad Messages
Positive Effects Negative Effects
Showing convenience of use Extensive information on
components, ingredients, nutrition
Showing new product/improved Outdoor setting (message gets
features lost)
Casting background (i.e., people Large number of onscreen
are incidental to message) characters

Indirect comparison to other Graphic displays

products

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-34
 Figure 7.6 Two-Factor Theory

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-35
 How Do We Structure Arguments?
• One-sided: supportive arguments
• Two-sided: both positive and negative
information
• Refutational argument: negative issue is
raised, then dismissed
• Positive attributes should refute presented
negative attributes
• Effective with well-educated and not-yet-loyal
audiences

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-36
 Comparative Advertising
• Comparative advertising: message compares
two+ recognizable brands on specific attributes
• “Unlike McDonalds, all of Arby's chicken
sandwiches are made with 100% all-natural
chicken”
• Negative outcomes include source derogation

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-37
 Types of Message Appeals

Emotional versus Rational Appeals

Sex Appeals

Humorous Appeals

Fear Appeals

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-38
 Discussion
• Name ads that rely on sex appeal to sell
products.
• What benefits are communicated in the ad?
• Is the message implicit or explicit? How?

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-39
 Message As Art Form
• Advertisers use literary elements to
communicate benefits and meaning
• Allegory: story about an abstract concept
personified in a fictional character
• Metaphor: two dissimilar objects in a close
relationship (“A is B”)
• Simile: compares two objects (“A is like B”)
• Resonance: play on words with pictures

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-40
 Table 7.3 Examples of Advertising Resonance
Product Headline Visual

Embassy Suites “This Year, We’re Unwrapping Chocolate kisses with hotel
Suites by the Dozen” names underneath each

Toyota auto parts “Out Lifetime Guarantee May Man holding a shock absorber
Come as a Shock”

Bucks filter “Herd of These?” Cigarette pack with a picture of

cigarettes a stag

Bounce fabric “Is There Something Creeping Woman’s dress bunched up on

softener Up Behind You?” her back due to static

Pepsi “This Year, Hit the Beach Pepsi bottle cap lying on the
Topless” sand

ASICS athletic “We Believe Women Should Woman jogging in a rural

shoes Be Running the Country” setting

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-41
 Forms of Story Presentation
• Lecture:
Drama: story
speechthatindraws
whichviewers
the source
into speaks
the action
• Characters
directly to the audience
indirectly address the audience
• Attempts to persuade
Interact with each other in an imaginary
• setting
Cognitive responses may occur

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-42
 Discussion
• Sell the steak or the sizzle?
• What’s more important in an advertisement:
• What is said? or
• Who says it?
• Give examples of ads that use one strategy
versus the other. What types of ads are more
effective for each strategy?

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-43
 Figure 7.7 Elaboration Likelihood Model

01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-44
 Chapter Summary
• Attitudes are very powerful, and they are
formed in several ways.
• People try to maintain consistency among
their attitudinal components and their
attitudes and behaviors.
• The communications model includes
several important components which can
be influenced by marketers to enhance the
persuasiveness of the message.
01/21/2023
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 7-45