CONSUMER BEHAVIOR they are not necessarily permanent and though consistent , they do change in certain circumstances . Attitudes occur within a situation and therefore are also affected by the situation . A specific situation can cause consumers to behave in ways that are seemingly inconsistent with their attitudes . As such , when measuring attitude , it is important to consider the situation in which the behavior takes place in order to avoid mis-interpreting the relationship between the attitude and behavior .
There are three important components of attitude to consider based on the theory of tri-component attitude model . First is cognitive component which relates to knowledge or awareness . This aspect looks at what people know or what they are aware of about the attitude object , say product or service . It also captures the believes they hold about a product or service . The second component is the affective component and it focuses on feelings and emotions of consumers about the product or service .
The third is conative component which relates to the action tendency . This represents the question of how the person is likely to act in a given situation . In attitude research this is assessed with a question about the likelihood of buying which generally tends to measure intention to buy . For example , somebody could ask : “ If this flavored coffee is introduced in the market and placed in the supermarket where you regularly buy ; would you say that you would definitely buy it , probable buy it , or definitely not buy it ? This is a way of gauging behavioral intentions and can be applied to test response to a product , service , retail outlet , online establishment and the like .
When a consumer holds conflicting attitudes towards a product or service , it may lead to post-purchase dissonance or the discomfort that occurs after a consumer has made a purchase commitment . This idea explains how consumers agree to buy a life insurance policy , and then proceed to lapse it after just a few months of payment even when income and other factors have not changed .
How Attitudes Are Formed
Several factors tend to influence attitude formation . One of the most important sources of influence over the attitudes that we form is family . The interactions we have with family members are an important source of influence in attitude formation because of the central role family plays in our upbringing and socialization . The family influences our values , beliefs and lifestyle , and these in turn impact our consumption related attitudes .
The family plays an important role in attitude formation in many ways because of its central place in members ’ lives , and the amount of time they spend together . It influences attitudes regarding suitable family lifestyle , socialization , and products and services that help keep the family together . Because of providing love and affection , the family has a significant influence on attitudes and usage of various products and services .
Along with consumption behavior , the family also teaches religious principals , manners , values and etiquette . The family plays an important role in teaching interpersonal skills , as well as attitudes relating to morals , dressing and grooming . All these aspects relate to consumption and therefore tend to influence consumer attitudes . In Kenya for example , we are taught to be kind to visitors by offering them a cup of tea as a sign of good hospitality .
Another source of influence on attitude formation is the consumer ’ s friends and colleagues . The people we hang around most of the time outside of family are our friends and work colleagues . One of the most important sources of influence over the attitudes that we form is the interactions we have with friends , colleagues and networks . In these days of high internet connectivity , many consumers connect regularly on social media as they share interests and consumption related information . People even showcase products that they are using and recommend them to their contacts .
A third source of influence on consumer attitude is direct experience , such as personal usage or product trial . Nothing beats personal experience with a product in attitude formation . Consumers can hear all what others have to say , but in the end , their personal direct experience with a product , service , brand , or outlet , will have a greater influence on their attitudes . As such , direct experience is one of the most powerful means by which attitudes are formed .
Think about the difference between personally going to a restaurant or hotel and experiencing their service , food , style and quality , and hearing about other people ’ s experiences - this will definitely form stronger associations and related attitudes . Because marketers recognize the powerful role of direct experience in the formation of attitudes , they frequently seek ways to stimulate product trial , by offering free samples and other promotional offers .
Mass media is another major influencer of consumer attitude formation . This is communication that is written , broadcast or spoken , that reaches a large audience . Mass media is seen mainly in the form of TV , Radio , internet , newspapers , and magazines among others . Mass media has become a major force in information sharing in the world . These media forms do contribute to attitude formation in a significant way . This happens through information provision which causes a change in people ’ s way of thinking or how they look at something .
Media has great power to influence attitudes towards products and services . Media has been known to influence individual opinions and beliefs about general product categories or even specific brands just as it influences attitudes towards political candidates as well as voting behavior . In Kenya for example , in these days of mistrust of many leaders , research has found that media is seen as a trusted source of information . For this reason , it plays a key role in influencing consumer attitudes .
In Conclusion
The role of attitude in influencing consumer behavior is significant . This explains why many organizations commit huge budgets to conduct studies on this question of usage and attitudes . The main factors that play a key role in influencing consumer attitude formation are family , friends , direct experience and mass media . The information on consumer attitudes helps with the development of effective marketing strategies that enhance market appeal . Understanding attitudes gives a business a competitive edge in the market . ■
Dr . Catherine Ngahu is the founder and Chairman of SBO Research , a company with a service footprint in 26 countries in Africa . You can reach her via mail at :
CNgahu @ sboresearch . co . ke ; Search for ‘
Catherine Ngahu ’ to follow her on You Tube .
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