Consumer Behavior 101: Attitudes and Persuasion Attitude - Change Theories TRA TPB Fishbein Balance Theory

Attitude Change Theories

What It Is

Attitude change theories are psychological models that explain how consumers' attitudes and behaviors can be influenced. One canonical example is the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), developed by Martin Fishbein and Icek Ajzen in 1975. This theory posits that attitudes and behaviors are influenced by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. A famous application of TRA is the "Just Do It" campaign by Nike, which aimed to change consumers' attitudes towards exercise and fitness by emphasizing the importance of subjective norms (e.g., "most people who exercise regularly do it because they want to be healthy").

Key Terms & Concepts

• Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA): A psychological model that explains how attitudes and behaviors are influenced by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control.
• Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB): An extension of TRA that includes the concept of perceived behavioral control as a separate factor influencing behavior.
• Fishbein's Multi-Attribute Model: A model that explains how attitudes are formed based on the evaluation of multiple attributes of a product or service.
• Balance Theory: A theory that explains how attitudes and behaviors are influenced by the balance between different social relationships and attitudes.
• Subjective Norms: The perceived social pressure to perform or not perform a behavior.
• Perceived Behavioral Control: The perceived ease or difficulty of performing a behavior.
• Attitude: A positive or negative evaluation of a product, service, or behavior.
• Behavior: The actual performance of a product, service, or behavior.
• Intention: The intention to perform a behavior.
• Ajzen's Formula: A formula that explains how attitudes and subjective norms influence behavior: B = I x SN / PBC.
• Classical Conditioning: A type of learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response.
• Operant Conditioning: A type of learning in which behavior is modified by its consequences (e.g., rewards or punishments).
• Actual Self: The person's current attitudes, values, and behaviors.
• Ideal Self: The person's desired attitudes, values, and behaviors.
• Need Recognition: The process of identifying a need or want.
• Opportunity Recognition: The process of identifying a opportunity to satisfy a need or want.

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: TRA and TPB are the same theory.
• Correction: TRA and TPB are related theories, with TPB being an extension of TRA that includes perceived behavioral control as a separate factor.
• Misunderstanding: Balance Theory only explains how attitudes are influenced by social relationships.
• Correction: Balance Theory explains how attitudes and behaviors are influenced by the balance between different social relationships and attitudes.
• Misunderstanding: Attitude and behavior are the same thing.
• Correction: Attitude is a positive or negative evaluation of a product, service, or behavior, while behavior is the actual performance of a product, service, or behavior.

Quick Application / Identification

Scenario: A consumer is considering buying a new electric car. The consumer has a positive attitude towards electric cars and believes that most people who own electric cars do it because they want to be environmentally friendly. The consumer also believes that owning an electric car is easy and convenient.

• Question: Which theory best explains the consumer's behavior?
• Answer: Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA)
• Explanation: The consumer's behavior is influenced by their positive attitude towards electric cars and their subjective norms (i.e., the perceived social pressure to own an electric car).

Last-Minute Revision

• TRA was developed by Martin Fishbein and Icek Ajzen in 1975.
• TPB is an extension of TRA that includes perceived behavioral control.
• Fishbein's Multi-Attribute Model explains how attitudes are formed based on the evaluation of multiple attributes.
• Balance Theory explains how attitudes and behaviors are influenced by the balance between different social relationships and attitudes.
• Subjective norms are the perceived social pressure to perform or not perform a behavior.
• Perceived behavioral control is the perceived ease or difficulty of performing a behavior.
• Attitude is a positive or negative evaluation of a product, service, or behavior.
• Behavior is the actual performance of a product, service, or behavior.
• Intention is the intention to perform a behavior.
• Ajzen's Formula is B = I x SN / PBC.
• Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response.
• Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which behavior is modified by its consequences.
• Actual self is the person's current attitudes, values, and behaviors.
• Ideal self is the person's desired attitudes, values, and behaviors.
• Need recognition is the process of identifying a need or want.
• Opportunity recognition is the process of identifying a opportunity to satisfy a need or want. TRA and TPB are often confused with each other. Attitude and behavior are not the same thing. Balance Theory only explains how attitudes are influenced by social relationships.