Attitudes
The word attitude is used in a lot of different situations in our daily lives. For instance, Parents or teachers often say to kids "don't give me this attitude" (meaning I do not like your behaviour or emotional display), we are often asked in surveys our attitude about issues or politics (meaning what we know or like). So the term attitude encompasses behavioural, cognitive and emotional components at the same time.
Attitude Functions
Attitudes are actually defined as "learned predispositions to respond to an object or class of objects in a consistently favorable or unfavorable way." These predispositions help us fulfill several functions that explain why attitudes are so useful and important for us. It is important to notice in this definition the mandatory valence of attitudes, Attitudes are either positive or negative, there are no neutral attitudes by definition.
Attitudes fulfill a utilitarian function. They help us making faster decision and acts as short cuts, for instance if we have a positive attitude toward a brand, more chances that we pick it up if we have to buy a specific product).
They also fulfill a value-expressive function in the sense that by affirming these predispositions we are able to express what we value and what kind of individual we are in the society. For instance, having a positive attitude (knowledge and behavior) toward a religion or a political party show others what we value.
Attitudes also help us to define our own personality as our deep values and the positive attitudes we have also help shaping our ego and personality (ego defensive function), not for others like the value expressive function but also for us.
Finally, having attitudes help us to develop our knowledge structure (function) and help taking position in everyday life when exposed to new stimuli. The way we will deal with new events will be influenced by the attitudes we have.
Discussion question: Use your own situation. Please provide examples on how your attitudes toward different issues help you fulfill these functions? Was it obvious to you? Why /why not?
Attitude Formation
Even though, attitudes are often presented as affective cues ( I like or not...the object of attitudes), academics have for long shown that other components are critical in attitude formation. More precisely, the cognitive component (I know about an object) and the behavioural component ( I want to act/buy this object) play a major role in the main theoretical explanation of attitude formation called the hierarchy of effect.
In this framework, depending on the type of purchase being made, attitude (affect) formation will be influenced by different components.
With low involvement product, generally, attitude is formed after behaviour. It means that in order to like a product you need to try it. So, as it is not a very important product, it can be an impulse purchase, an emotional purchase (I love these shoes -)) or a sample that was given to you by a company or friend. For these types of products, company should communicate with you on affective cues and try to engage you in the product (free samples, give aways, funny commercial). This is called the peripheral route of communication to attitude formation.
With high involvement products, attitude is formed after a lot of cognitive work. You need to receive a lot and detailed information if you want to form your positive attitude for a company (hoping it has a great product because you will learn about it). Therefore, companies should provide you with this information. This is called the central route to attitude formation.
Discussion question: Watch the videos and analyze the commercials. Would you say that the products advertised are high or low involvement? Why? Would you say that the commercial use more of a central route (informative) or peripheral route (Fun and light theme)?
Is it that simple to classify these commercials using these variables? Why/ why not?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA3AZ59Zk_I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYywiQ3-6To
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44i6nLBdSoY