Attitudes and Persuasion PPT

Attitudes and Attitude Theories Importance of Attitude Research    Carl Hovland, founder of the Yale Attitude Research Program, initiated the scientific study of attitudes in the 1940’s “a predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably toward some attitude object” (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) transformed “social studies” into “social sciences” via attitude scales Ingredients of attitudes – – – – learned, not innate precursors of behavior (precede, predict behavior) evaluative dimension: direction and degree or intesnity directed toward an “attitude object” Attitude-behavior correlation        ABC: how well attitudes predict behavior attitude salience or centrality specificity of the attitude(s) and behavior(s) social desirability bias self-monitoring activation of relevant attitudes multiple-act criteria (versus one-shot measures) Likert’s “equal appearing interval scales”   Patient’s suffering from terminal illnesses should have a constitutional right to assisted suicide. _____ strongly agree _____ moderately agree _____ slightly agree _____ neutral disagree _____ slightly disagree _____ moderately disagree _____ strongly Osgood, Suci, & Tannenbaum’s “Semantic Differential scales”  bipolar antonyms (opposite adjectives) Sarah Palin qualified ___:___:___:___:___:___:___ unqualified poised ___:___:___:___:___:___:___ nervous expert ___:___:___:___:___:___:___ inexpert trustworthy ___:___:___:___:___:___:___ untrustworthy timid ___:___:___:___:___:___:___ bold Visually oriented scales     opinion thermometer facial expressions steering wheel pointer advantages of visually oriented attitude measures Problems with attitude scales     problem of nonattitudes social desirability bias acquiescence bias issue of “mindfulness” Attitudes as associative networks contraception school prayer sex education abortion family values premarital sex divorce family leave marital fidelity child support dead-beat dads Creating associations    “Breakfast of champions” (Wheaties) “Be all that you can be” (U.S. Army) “The ultimate driving machine” (BMW) Food advertising and associations  Foods are often advertised as: – promoting good health – substitutes for love – guilty pleasures – treatment for stress, anxiety Yoplait: Food as a guilty pleasure: "Ooo, this is Day At The Spa Good" "No, this is Foot Massage Good" More ways of creating associations  Appropriating symbols – “extreme” lifestyle  Taco Bell sponsors the X-Games – urban, hip hop culture  Reebok “keeps it real” to rake in the “bling” – Youth culture  iPhone Image-based advertising – "In the factory we make cosmetics; in the drugstore we sell hope." Charles Revson "An image . . . is not simply a trademark, a design, a slogan or an easily remembered picture. It is a studiously crafted personality profile of an individual, institution, corporation, product or service." Daniel Boorstin "You now have to decide what 'image' you want for your brand. Image means personality. Products, like people, have personalities, and they can make or break them in the market place." David Ogilvy – – Image-based advertising at work    A consumer admires a particular image or lifestyle The product is paired with, or associated with, the image or lifestyle In time the consumer comes to equate the product with image or lifestyle Music downloading + teen consumer + ? Pepsi Image-oriented advertising   The point of image-oriented advertising is to link products with idealized associations, images, and lifestyles. Schudson (1984) “advertising does not claim to picture reality as it is but reality as it should be--life and lives worth imitating (p. 215)." Are California cows really happy? What about the cows raised in cramped, dreary feedlots? If good cheese comes from happy cows, then does bad cheese come from bored, confined cows? Advertising associations and women’s bodies    Victoria’s Secret Coors Light Twins Paris Hilton and Carl’s Jr.    Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign Does Dove really care about women’s body images? Or is this a clever branding strategy to sell more product? consistency theories l People expect, prefer consistency   Cognitive consistency is a state of balance, harmony, among one’s cognitions Individuals strive to maintain, preserve harmony among their beliefs, attitudes, behaviors l Inconsistency causes psychological discomfort, tension  “Dissonance” is an uncomfortable mental state.  May even be accompanied by physiological symptoms l Individuals are motivated to restore cognitive consistency illustration of consistency in action ? favorable attitude + + - perceived incompatibility Parenting and consistency theory     A child admires Popeye The child doesn’t like to eat spinach Popeye is positively associated with Spinach This is a cognitively imbalanced state, which should motivate the child to change one of the associations + + - consistent versus inconsistent psychological states balanced (consistent) psychological states + + + - - - + - - - + - + + + imbalanced (inconsistent) psychological states + + + + - Fostering inconsistency  Countering brand loyalty – – – “Think outside the bun” (Taco Bell) “Think different” (Macintosh) Carl’s $6.00 burger without the restaurant    Countering tradition “Not your father’s Oldsmobile” Buyer’s remorse – – Capital One: “What’s in your wallet?” Hotels. com