consumer behavior ch. 7

knowledge function

we form attitudes because we need order, structure, or meaning. applies when a person is in an ambiguous situation (it's ok to wear casual pants to work, but only on Friday) or she confronts a new product (Bayer wants you to know about pain relievers)

Ego-defensive function

attitudes we form to protect ourselves either from external threats or internal feelings. an early marketing study showed that housewives int the 50's resisted the use of instant coffee because it threatened their conception of themselves as capable homemakers. products that promise to help a man project a "macho" appeal to his insecurities about his masculinity. another example is deodorant campaigns that stress the dire, embarrassing consequences when you're caught with underarm odor in public.

Low-involvement hierarchy of effects

do.feel.think. assumes that the consumer initially doesn't have a strong preference for one brand over another, instead, she acts on the basis of limited knowledge and forms an evaluation only after she has bought the product. the attribute is likely to come about through behavioral learning, as good or bad experiences reinforce her initial choice. the possibility that consumers simply don't care enough about many decisions to carefully assemble a set of product beliefs and then evaluate them is important. this implies that all of our concern about influencing beliefs and carefully communication info about product attributes may often be wasted.

ABC model of attitudes

emphasizes the interrelationships among knowing, feeling, and doing. we cant determine consumers' attitudes toward a product if we just identify their cognitions about it. example, a researcher may find that shoppers "know" a particular camcorder has 8:1 power zoom lens, auto focus, and a flying erase head, but simply knowing this doesn't indicate whether they feel these attributes are good, bad or irrelevant, or whether they would actually buy the camcorder.

Experiential hierarchy

feel.think.do. we act on the basis of our emotional reactions. the experiential perspective highlights the idea that intangible product attributes, such as package design, advertising, brand names, and the nature of the setting in which the experience occurs, can help shape our attitudes toward a brand. we may base these reactions on hedonic motivations, such as whether using the product is exciting.

internalization

high level of involvement. deep seated attitudes become part of our value system. these attitudes are very difficult to change because they are so important to us. the infamous Coke debacle of the 80's illustrates what can happen when a marketer messes with strongly held attitudes.

functional theory of attitudes

how Daniel Kats explains how attitudes facilitate social behavior

identification

occurs when we form an attitude to conform to another person's or group's expectations. advertising that depicts the dire social consequences when we choose some products over others relies on the tendency of consumers to imitate the behavior of desirable models

Value-expressive function

relate to the consumer's central values or self-concept. a person forms a product attitude in this case because of what the product says about him as a person. are highly relevant to the psychograpghic analyses, which consider how consumers cultivate a cluster of activities, interests, and opinions to express a particular social identity.

Utilitarian Function

relates to the basic principles of reward and punishment. we develop some attitudes toward products simply because they provide pleasure or pain. if a person likes the taste of pizza, that person will develop a positive attitude toward pizza

compliance

the lowest level of involvement. we form an attitude because it helps us to gain rewards or avoid punishment. this attitude is very superficial, it is likely to change when others no longer monitor our behavior or when another option becomes available. you may drink Pepsi because the cafeteria sells it, and it is too much trouble to go elsewhere for a Coca-Cola.

Standard learning hierarchy

think.feel.do. assumes that a person approaches a product decision as a problem-solving process. First, she forms beliefs about a product as she accumulates knowledge regarding relevant attributes. next, she evaluates these beliefs and forms a feeling about the product. then she engages in a relevant behavior, such as when she buys a product that offers the attributes she feels good about. this hierarchy assumes that a consumer is highly involved when she makes a purchase decision. she's motivated to seek out a lot of info, carefully weigh alternatives, and come to a thoughtful decision.