Page 106 - DMGT506_CONSUMER_BEHAVIOUR

Unit 7: Consumer Attitudes

7.3.2 Multi-attribute Attitude Models Notes

According to these models, consumers’ attitudes about an attitude “object” is a function of
consumers’ perception and assessment of important attributes or beliefs held about a certain
attitude “object.” The attitude ‘object’ may be a product, service, or issue etc. In other words,
many beliefs about attributes are evaluative in nature. For example, in case of an automobile,
more mileage per litre of petrol, attractive styling, reliable performance etc. are viewed as
favourable beliefs. There are several versions of multi-attribute model, but Martin Fishbein and
Icek Ajzen models have stimulated much research interest.

Attitude-toward-object Model

This is the simplest model and is particularly appropriate for measuring attitudes towards
product/service category, or specific brands. A product has many attributes (size, features, style
and so on) and an individual will process information and develop beliefs about many of these
attributes. Consumers generally have favourable attitudes towards those products or brands
that they believe have an acceptable level of positive attributes. Conversely, they have
unfavourable attitudes toward those brands that they believe do not have an acceptable level of
desired attributes, or have too many negative attributes. The model is usually shown by the
following equation:
n
Attitude = b e
0 i i
I 1
where,
Attitude = the person’s overall attitude toward the brand
0
b = the strength of person’s belief that the brand contains attribute i
i
e = person’s evaluation or intensity of feeling towards attribute i (importance
i
of attribute)
n = the number of relevant beliefs for that person.

Example: To illustrate, a consumer may have beliefs (b ) about various brands of fairness
i
cream on certain attributes. One brand may be perceived as having ‘X’ ingredient and thus
preventing pimples, has no greasiness and is flesh tinted. Another brand may be perceived as
not having these attributes, but consumers may believe that it performs well on other attributes
such as having sunscreen and protecting the skin from harsh sunrays and also prevents wrinkles .
To predict attitude in this situation, the marketer must know how much importance consumers
attach to all these attributes (e ).
i
The version of the model mentioned above is useful in a variety of situations. However, this
model assumes that more (or less) of an attribute is always better. For example, all other things
being equal, more mileage per litre of petrol is always better than fewer kilometres per litre.
For such situations, the above-mentioned model is completely suitable.
More (or less) is good only up to a point for some attributes. Any further increase (or decrease)
beyond this point in these attributes becomes bad. For example, if the cook forgot to add salt to
a vegetable curry, adding salt will improve its taste and our attitude towards the curry. Beyond
this point, any additional amounts of salt will spoil its taste and our attitude will decrease. In
such situations, the need is to incorporate an “ideal point” in the above-mentioned model:

n
I
e
Attitude = b i | – |
i
i
0
I 1
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