ASSIGNMENT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

MK 0011

Q1. Explain the tri-component attitude model

Cognitive component
affective component
conative component
ANS: component

Cognitive

The Cognitive component of attitudes refers to the beliefs, thoughts, and

attributes that we would associate with an object. Many times a person's
attitude might be based on the negative and positive attributes they
associate with an object. The third and final component of an attitude is
the cognitive component, and it refers to the thoughts and beliefs one has
about an attitude object. We've already determined that Alice avoids snakes
and is scared when she is exposed to them. But, what does she think about
snakes? It's likely she believes that all snakes are dangerous and gross.
Beyond the physical and emotional reactions of her phobia, there is also
this cognitive component of her attitude.
Individuals with memory concerns or other cognitive complaints. Nonmemory triggers include personality change, depression, and deterioration of
chronic disease without explanation, and falls or balance issues
This section provides guidance and tools for conducting a cognitive
assessment during a time-limited office visit. Detecting possible cognitive
impairment is the first step in determining whether or not a patient needs
further evaluation.

Affective component
When referring to attitudes in psychology, psychologists are referring to our
behavioral tendencies towards an object, a group or an event. It is our

attitude towards something that is socially significant and it is usually a

psychological tendency that will either lean towards favor or disfavor.
As well as the affective component of attitude there is also the behavioral
component. This relates to how we behave when we experience the
emotions we feel towards the object. For the person who is scared of
Christmas for example, they may lock their doors and try to avoid anything
to do with Christmas.

Conative component
Conation is a term that stems from the Latin conatus, meaning any natural
tendency, impulse, striving, or directed effort. Conative is one of three parts
of the mind, along with the affective and cognitive. In short, the cognitive
part of the brain measures intelligence, the affective deals with emotions
and the conative drives how one acts on those thoughts and feelings.
The term conation is no longer widely knownit is in "The 1,000 Most
Obscure Words in the English Language", defined as "the area of one's active
mentality that has to do with desire, volition, and striving" but a closer look
turns up several references to conation as the third faculty of the mind.

Q2. Describe the levels of consumer decision making

while buying.
ANS: Making

Limited Decision-

Limited decision-making is usually more straightforward and simple. It

involves internal (long-term memory) and limited external search,
consideration of just a few alternatives, simple decision rules on a few
attributes and little post-purchase evaluation. As pointed out earlier, it
covers the middle ground between nominal and extended decision-making.
Buyers are not as motivated to search for information, or evaluate each
attribute enthusiastically, but actually use cognitive shortcuts. According to
Wayne D. Hoyer, when the level of consumer involvement is lowest, limited
decision-making may not be much different than nominal decision-making.

Extended Decision-Making

Consumer purchases involving extended decision-making correspond most

closely to the traditional decision-making perspective. Such decisions involve
extensive internal (long-term memory) and external (outside sources)
information search followed by a rigorous evaluation of several alternatives
because consumers do not possess any meaningful information about the
product or service and need much of it. The evaluation often involves careful
consideration of attributes of one brand at a time and taking stock of how
the attributes of each brand measure up to a set of desired characteristics.
All this happens in response to a high level of consumer's involvement in
making a purchase decision.

Information search
Once the need is identified, its time for the consumer to seek information
about possible solutions to the problem. He will search more or less
information depending on the complexity of the choices to be made but also
his level of involvement. (Buying pasta requires little information and
involves fewer consumers than buying a car.)
Then the consumer will seek to make his opinion to guide his choice and his
decision-making process with:

Internal information: this information is already present in the

consumers memory. It comes from previous experiences he had with a

product or brand and the opinion he may have of the brand.

Alternative evaluation
Once the information collected, the consumer will be able to evaluate the
different alternatives that offer to him, evaluate the most suitable to his
needs and choose the one he think its best for him.
In order to do so, he will evaluate their attributes on two aspects. The
objective characteristics (such as the features and functionality of the
product) but also subjective (perception and perceived value of the brand by
the consumer or its reputation).

Q3.

Explain

brand

image

and

the

dimensions

of

brand

personality.
Explanation of brand
image
Dimensions of brand
personality

ANS: -

Explanation of brand image

Brand image is the current view of the customers about a brand. It can be
defined as a unique bundle of associations within the minds of target
customers. It signifies what the brand presently stands for. It is a set of
beliefs held about a specific brand. In short, it is nothing but the consumers
perception about the product. It is the manner in which a specific brand is
positioned in the market. Brand image conveys emotional value and not just
a mental image. Brand image is nothing but an organizations character. It is
an accumulation of contact and observation by people external to an
organization. It should highlight an organizations mission and vision to all.

Dimensions of brand personality

For more than four decades, marketers have used sophisticated techniques
to segment their consumer universes into psychographic sets, the
progenitors of todays online communities. These techniques have been able
to reveal hidden truths underlying group actions as in the case of Helicopter
Parents or Metrosexuals. As a result, they have allowed marketers to dig
deeper than simple demographics to target messages much closer to the
heart of action than general measures like age or sex. In fact, a case can be
made that these older groupings have had far deeper roots than todays likeand tweet- based communities.
The Big Five was originally propounded way back in 1961, but only came into
broader use in the 1980s.

Openness to experience (inventive/curious vs.

consistent/cautious): -Appreciation for art, emotion, adventure,
unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience. Openness reflects the
degree of intellectual curiosity, creativity and a preference for novelty and
variety. Some disagreement remains about how to interpret the openness
factor, which is sometimes called intellect rather than openness to
experience.

Conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. easygoing/careless): - A tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully,

and aim for achievement; planned rather than spontaneous behavior;
organized, and dependable.

Extraversion
solitary/reserved):

(outgoing/energetic

vs.

Energy,
positive
emotions,
urgency,
assertiveness, sociability and the tendency to seek stimulation in the
company of others, and talkativeness.

Agreeableness

(friendly/compassionate
vs.
cold/unkind): - A tendency to be compassionate and cooperative
rather
than
suspicious
and
antagonistic
towards
others.
Neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident). The tendency to
experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety,
depression, or vulnerability.
Neuroticism also refers to the degree of emotional stability and
impulse control, and is sometimes referred by its low pole emotional
stability.

Q4. Explain the VALS (Value and Lifestyle) framework

with diagram.
VALS Framework
Diagram
ANS: Framework

VALS

VALS ("Values, Attitudes And Lifestyles") is a proprietary research

methodology
used
for psychographic market
segmentation.
Market
segmentation is designed to guide companies in tailoring their products and
services in order to appeal to the people most likely to purchase them.
VALS was developed in 1978 by social scientist and consumer futurist Arnold
Mitchell and his colleagues at SRI International. It was immediately embraced
by advertising agencies, and is currently offered as a product of SRI's
consulting services division. VALS draws heavily on the work of Harvard
sociologist David Riesman and psychologies Abraham Maslow.
Mitchell used statistics to identify attitudinal and demographic questions that
helped categorize adult American consumers into one of nine lifestyle types:
survivors (4%), sustainers (7%), bloggers (35%), emulators (9%), achievers

(22%), I-am-me (5%), experiential (7%), societal conscious (9%), and

integrated (2%). The questions were weighted using data developed from a
sample of 1,635 Americans and their partners, who responded to an SRI
International survey in 1980.
The main dimensions of the VALS framework are primary motivation (the
horizontal dimension) and resources (the vertical dimension). The vertical
dimension segments people based on the degree to which they
are innovative and
have
resources
such
as income, education, selfconfidence, intelligence, leadership skills, and energy. The horizontal
dimension represents primary motivations and includes three distinct types:

Consumers driven by knowledge and principles are motivated primarily

by ideals. These consumers include groups called Thinkers and Believers.

Consumers driven by demonstrating success to their peers are

motivated primarily by achievement. These consumers include groups
referred to as Achievers and Strivers.

Consumers driven by a desire for social or physical activity, variety,

and risk taking are motivated primarily by self-expression. These
consumers include the groups known as Experiences and Makers.

At the top of the rectangle are the Innovators, who have such high resources
that they could have any of the three primary motivations. At the bottom of
the rectangle are the Survivors, who live complacently and within their
means without a strong primary motivation of the types listed above. The
VALS Framework gives more details about each of the groups.

Diagram

Q5. Explain the five categories of Adopters in innovation

process.
Five
categories
ANS: -

Innovator: Venturesome

Observers have noted that venture sameness is almost an obsession with

innovators. They are very eager to try new ideas. This interest leads them
out of a local circle of peer networks and into more cosmopolite social
relationships. Communication patterns and friendships among a clique of
innovators are common, even though the geographical distance between the
innovators may be considerable. Being an innovator has several
prerequisites.

Early Adopters: Respectable

Early adopters are a more integrated part of the local social system then are
innovators. Whereas innovators are cosmopolites, early adopters are
localities. This adopter category, more than any other, has the greatest
degree of opinion leadership in most social systems. Potential adopters look
to early adopter for advice and information about the innovation. The early
adopter is considered by many as the individual to check with before using
a new idea.

Early Majority: Deliberate

The early majority adopt new ideas just before the average member of a
social system. The early majorities interact frequently with their peers, but
seldom hold leadership positions. The early majoritys unique position
between the very early and the relatively late to adopt makes them an
important link in the diffusion process. They provide interconnectedness in
the systems networks.

Late Majority: Skeptical

The late majority adopt new ideas just after the average member of a social
system. Adoption may be both an economic necessity and the answer to
increasing network pressures. Innovations are approached with a skeptical
and cautious air, and the late majority do not adopt until most others in their
social system have done so. The weight of system norms must definitely
favor the innovation before the late majorities are convinced. They can be
persuaded of the utility of new ideas, but the pressure of peers is necessary
to motivate adoption.

Laggards: Traditional
Laggards are the last in a social system to adopt an innovation. They possess
almost no opinion leadership. They are the most localities in their outlook of
all adopter categories; many are near isolates in social networks. The point
of reference for the laggard is the past. Decisions are often made in terms of
what has been done in previous generations and these individuals interact
primarily with others who also have relatively traditional values. When
laggards finally adopt an innovation, it may already have been superseded
by another more recent idea that is already being used by the innovators.
Laggards tend to be frankly suspicious of innovations and change agents.

Q6. Briefly discuss the decision-making models.

Nicosia Model of Consumer Decision-Making
Howard-Sheth Model
Engel, Blackwell, Miniard Model
ANS: Nicosias model of Consumer
Decision- Making (1966)

The model proposed by Francesco Nicosia in the 1970s, was one of the first
models of Consumer behavior to explain the complex decision process that
consumers engage in during purchase of new products. Instead of following a
traditional approach where the focus lay on the act of purchase, Nicosia tried
to explain the dynamics involved in decision making. Presenting his model as
a flow-chart, he illustrated the decision making steps that the consumers
adopt before buying goods or services; decision aiming was presented as a
series of decisions, which follow one another.

The Howard Sheth model (1969)

Howard and Sheth used the term buying behavior and not consumer
behavior as the industrial buyers and consumers are similar in most aspects.
While the model was proposed in the 1960s, for industrial buying, the term
buyer is used to connote both industrial consumers and personal
consumers. Through the model, Howard and Sheth, tried to explain buyer
rationality while making purchase decisions even in conditions of incomplete
information. While they differentiated between three levels of decision
making, EPS, LPS and RPS, the model focuses on repeat buying/purchase.

(a) Stimulus inputs (Input variables): - The input variables refer

to the stimuli in the environment; they take the form of informative cues
about the product/service offering; these information cues could relate to
quality, price, distinctiveness, service and availability.

(b) Hypothetical constructs: - Howard and Sheth classified the

hypothetical constructs into two major groups, viz., perceptual constructs
and learning constructs.

(c) Response outputs (output variables): - The output variables

refer to the buyers action or response to stimulus inputs. According to
Howard and Sheth, the response outputs comprise five constituents, viz.,
attention, comprehension, attitude, intention and purchase.

(d) Exogenous variables: - The Howard and Sheth model also

comprises certain constant exogenous variables that influence some or all of
the constructs explained above, and thereby impact the final output
variables.

Engel, Blackwell, Miniard Model

The Engel, Kollat and Blackwell Model, also referred to as the EKB model was
proposed to organize and describe the growing body of knowledge/research
concerning consumer behavior. A comprehensive model, it shows the various
components of consumer decision making and the relationships/interactions
among them. The model went through many revisions and modifications,
with attempts to elaborate upon the interrelationship between the various
components and sub-components; and, finally another model was proposed
in the 1990s which came to be known as the Engel, Blackwell and Miniard
Model (EBM).
Ujjwal Kumar Singh (9810595187)