MKTG2112 · Consumer Behaviour
Attitudes & Attitude Change: ABC, Fishbein, TPB & ELM
Attitudes are the lasting evaluations that steer behaviour, and this is the unit's most model-heavy topic. It covers the ABC tri-component model and cognitive dissonance, the Hierarchy of Effects, the Fishbein multi-attribute model (Aₒ = Σ bᵢeᵢ) for measuring attitudes, the move from the Theory of Reasoned Action to the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Elaboration Likelihood Model's two routes, and the standard attitude-change strategies. It is examined as short-answer / essay — often a Fishbein calculation plus an attitude-change recommendation, or a TPB application.
What this chapter covers
- 011. Attitude (Aₒ): a lasting, general evaluation of an object, person, ad or issue
- 022. ABC tri-component model: Affect (feeling) + Behaviour (intention) + Cognition (belief)
- 033. Cognitive dissonance: tension from inconsistent components; changing one flows on to the others
- 044. Hierarchy of Effects: Think→Feel→Do (high involvement), Do→Think→Feel (low), Feel→Do→Think (experiential)
- 055. Fishbein multi-attribute model: Aₒ = Σ (bᵢ × eᵢ) — belief strength × attribute evaluation
- 066. From TRA to TPB: intention = attitude + subjective norm, plus perceived behavioural control → behaviour
- 077. Elaboration Likelihood Model: central route (argument quality) vs peripheral route (cues)
- 088. Attitude-change strategies: change beliefs, change importance, add a belief, change the ideal, change affect
Fishbein model + attitude-change strategy (short answer, 8 marks)
- 1 markWrite the model: Aₒ = Σ (bᵢ × eᵢ) over salient attributes, where bᵢ is belief strength and eᵢ is attribute importance.
- 1.5 marksService A: (5×6) + (4×4) + (3×6) = 30 + 16 + 18 = 64.
- 1.5 marksService B: (5×4) + (4×6) + (3×5) = 20 + 24 + 15 = 59.
- 1 markPreference: Service A (64) > Service B (59), so Service A is preferred.
- 3 marksStrategy for Service B: its weakness is on Library, a high-importance attribute (e=5). Change beliefs about that attribute — invest in catalogue depth and advertise it to raise bᵢ. Alternatively change importance weights (reframe price/value as what matters) or add a new salient belief.
Key terms
- Attitude (Aₒ)
- A lasting, general (global) evaluation of an object, person, ad or issue. 'Aₒ' denotes attitude toward an object; attitudes are learned, relatively enduring, and guide behaviour.
- ABC tri-component model
- Treats an attitude as three linked parts — Affect (feelings), Behaviour (intentions/actions) and Cognition (beliefs). The components tend to stay consistent; inconsistency creates cognitive dissonance, and changing one part pressures the others to follow.
- Cognitive dissonance
- The psychological tension a consumer feels when attitude components, or attitude and behaviour, conflict. To reduce it, the consumer changes a belief, a feeling or a behaviour — e.g. seeking reassuring reviews after a big purchase.
- Fishbein multi-attribute model
- A way to measure attitude: Aₒ = Σ (bᵢ × eᵢ), summing across salient attributes the product of belief strength (bᵢ) and attribute importance/evaluation (eᵢ). It needs three inputs — salient beliefs, belief strength and importance.
- Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)
- Extends the Theory of Reasoned Action: behavioural intention is predicted by three factors — attitude toward the behaviour, subjective norm (social pressure), and perceived behavioural control (felt ease/ability) — and intention predicts behaviour.
- Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
- Explains persuasion via two routes. The central route (high involvement) processes argument quality and yields durable attitude change; the peripheral route (low involvement) relies on cues — source, music, celebrity — and yields weaker change.
Attitudes & Attitude Change: ABC, Fishbein, TPB & ELM FAQ
What is the difference between the ABC model and the Fishbein model?
The ABC model describes the structure of an attitude (Affect, Behaviour, Cognition) and how the parts stay consistent or create dissonance. The Fishbein multi-attribute model measures the cognitive component numerically: Aₒ = Σ (bᵢ × eᵢ). ABC tells you what an attitude is made of; Fishbein gives you a score and points to which belief to change.
How does TPB differ from the Theory of Reasoned Action?
The Theory of Reasoned Action predicts behavioural intention from two factors: attitude toward the behaviour and subjective norm. The Theory of Planned Behaviour adds a third — perceived behavioural control (how easy or within-your-power the behaviour feels). TPB therefore explains cases where someone has the attitude and social approval but still doesn't act because they feel they can't.
When does each ELM route apply, and why does it matter?
The central route operates under high involvement, where consumers scrutinise the actual argument; it produces strong, lasting attitudes, so invest in substantive claims and evidence. The peripheral route operates under low involvement, where cues like an attractive source, music or a celebrity carry the message; it produces weaker, more fragile attitudes. Matching the route to the audience's involvement is the strategic point.
How is this topic examined?
As short-answer / essay, and it is calculation-friendly by this unit's standards: a Fishbein table to compute and interpret, an ABC mapping with a dissonance explanation, a TPB application to a behaviour, or an ELM/route recommendation. Attitude-change strategy questions almost always follow — link the recommended strategy to the specific input you are moving.
Exam move
This is the topic to over-prepare. Memorise the ABC components and what cognitive dissonance is, then drill the Fishbein model until the table layout is automatic — write the formula, compute b×e per attribute, sum, compare, and recommend an attitude-change strategy aimed at the weakness on the highest-importance attribute. Keep the five attitude-change strategies on a card (change beliefs, change importance, add a belief, change the ideal, change affect) and match each to the Fishbein input it moves. For TPB, rehearse the three predictors and a one-paragraph application; for ELM, be able to choose central vs peripheral by involvement. The exam rewards naming the right model and applying it — not listing all of them.
