How Reference Groups Exert Influence on Consumer Behavior Essay Example for Free

How Reference Groups Exert Influence on Consumer Behavior Essay Component Attitude Model An attitude is the psychological response to a person, an object, to a situation, to society and to life itself that generally influence our behaviors and actions. Attitudes are either positive or negative. However our attitudes are not always dictated by our values and beliefs. Other factors in a given situation may influence our behavior. We can also have different attitudes towards the same thing depending on whom we are dealing with, the actual context of an exchange or an event or occurrence. Three major components of attitude are : 1) Affective: emotions or feelings. (2) Cognitive: belief or opinions held consciously. (3) Conative: inclination for action. Cognitive Component The cognitive component refers to the knowledge, beliefs, and opinions the person has about the Nike product. The cognitive component is the individual’s information and knowledge about an object or concept. A person’s cognition is the knowledge and perceptions that are acquired by a combination of direct experience with the attitude-object and related information from various sources. This knowledge and resulting perceptions commonly take the form of beliefs; that is, the consumer believes that the attitude-object possesses various attributes and that specific behaviors will lead to specific outcomes. Beliefs are the cognitive component of consumer attitude. Positive brand associations enhance brand equity and are achieved through a number of positioning strategies. The beliefs about an object tend to control the change that may take place in an attitude. Affective Component The affect component of an attitude reflects feelings (â€Å"affect† is the technical term for positive or negative feelings), evaluation, or emotions regarding the attitude object. Affect refers to the way a consumer feels about an attitude object. It relates to the emotional content and arouses either likes or dislikes of a particular object. A consumer’s emotions or feelings about a particular product or brand constitute the affective component of an attitude. Conative Component The conative component reflects behavioral tendencies toward the attitude object. Conation refers to the act of attempting something. Conation is concerned with the likelihood or tendency that an individual will undertake a specific action or behave in a particular way with regard to the attitude-object. This conative component of attitude may include the actual behavior itself. In marketing and consumer research, the conative component is frequently treated as an expression of the consumer’s intention to buy. Buyer intention scales are employed to assess the likelihood of a consumer purchasing a product or behaving in a certain way. Examples of Intention-to-Buy Scales: I definitely will go I probably will go Behavior involves the person’s intentions to do something with regard to an attitude object. The behavioral component of an attitude is one’s tendency to respond in a certain manner toward an object or activity. Consumers are asked to make a subjective judgment on the likelihood of buying a product or brand or taking a specific action in the future.