Attitudes Based On Low Effort: Chapter Summary
Attitudes Based On Low Effort: Chapter Summary
CHAPTER 6
ATTITUDES BASED ON LOW EFFORT
CHAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter focuses on the processes by which marketers can change consumers’ attitudes
when MAO is low and hence the effort consumers expend to process information is low. The
chapter first examines unconscious influences on consumers’ attitudes, including thin-slice
judgments and body feedback. The chapter then examines the cognitive bases of attitudes
and how marketing communications can be designed to enhance consumers’ attitudes. When
attitudes of low MAO consumers are based on cognitive processing, the message should
affect their beliefs. These beliefs may be formed by simple inferences, attributions, or rules of
thumb (heuristics).
Marketers can also affect the salience, strength, or favorability of consumers’ beliefs, when
attitudes are based on simple beliefs. Characteristics of the source (source credibility),
characteristics of the message (category- and schema-consistent information, a large number
of message arguments, and simple messages), and characteristics of the context (the extent
of repetition) each influence one or more of the dimensions of beliefs.
According to the mere exposure effect, when MAO is low, consumers’ attitudes toward an
offering become more favorable as they become more familiar with it. Classical conditioning
predicts that consumers’ attitudes toward an offering (the conditioned stimulus, or CS) are
enhanced when it is repeatedly paired with a stimulus (the unconditioned stimulus, or UCS)
that evokes a positive emotional response (the unconditioned response). This effect is most
likely to occur when a CS-UCS link is novel, when the consumer is aware of the link, when the
UCS and CS fit together, and when the CS precedes the UCS. Furthermore, if consumers like
a particular ad (Aad), these feelings may be transferred over to the brand (Ab) (dual-mediation
hypothesis). Additionally, attitudes toward an offering can also be affected by consumers’
mood and their tendency to evaluate the offering in a mood-congruent direction.
Finally, attitudes based on affective processes can be made more favorable when consumers’
MAO and effort are low. Characteristics of the source (attractiveness, likeability, celebrity),
characteristics of the message (pleasant pictures, pleasant music, humor, sex, emotional
content), and characteristics of the context (program or editorial context) can each influence
affectively based attitudes.
6. Highlight how marketers can use the communication source, message, and context to
influence consumers’ feelings and attitudes when processing effort is low.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. High-Effort Versus Low-Effort Routes to Persuasion
A. High Effort (Central Route)
1. Consumers have motivation, ability, and the opportunity (MAO) to process
information.
B. Low Effort (Peripheral Route)
1. Consumers do not have the MAO to process information.
2. Judgments may be more influenced by peripheral cues.
II. Unconscious Influences on Attitudes When Consumer Effort Is Low
A. Thin-Sliced Judgments
1. Assessments consumers make after brief observations despite minimal
information input.
2. These assessments can influence consumers’ decisions to buy and their
satisfaction with the sale.
B. Body Feedback
1. Body feedback such as nodding or shaking one’s head can lead to more
positive or negative evaluations of an object.
C. Marketing Implications
1. Although marketers may apply unconscious influences on consumers, this
should be used with care because of the complex interactions with conscious
influences.
III. Cognitive Bases of Attitudes When Consumer Effort Is Low
A. Consumers may acquire simple beliefs by forming simple inferences, through
attributions or explanations for an endorsement, or by forming heuristics.
1. With the frequency heuristic, consumers form a belief based on the number of
supporting arguments or amount of repetition.
2. The truth effect states that consumers are more likely to have stronger beliefs
simply because of the repetition of the message.
IV. How Cognitive Attitudes Are Influenced
A. Communication Source
1. Credible sources serve as peripheral cues for making a simplified judgment.
a) “Statements from experts can be trusted.”
b) “Products endorsed by an expert must be good.”
2. Little cognitive effort is required.
3. To be seen as more credible, endorsers are used that do not advertise many
other products.
B. The Message
1. Category- and Schema-Consistent Information
a) Consumers form inferential beliefs from a message.
(1). Based on brand name
(2). Based on price
(3). Based on color
b) Considerable attention should be devoted to immediate associations
consumers have for easily processed information.
2. Many Message Arguments
a) With the frequency heuristic, consumers count the number of arguments
rather than processing information
3.Simple Messages
a) Marketers communicate differences from competitors with simple key
points.
4. Involving Messages
a) Enhancing consumers’ involvement with the message ensures that the
information is received.
b) Self-referencing strategies develop positive attitudes and intentions.
5. Marketing Implications
a) Marketers can increase self-referencing by:
(1). Directly telling consumers to use self-reference
(2). Using the second person
(3). Asking rhetorical questions
(4). Showing visuals of situations easy for consumers to relate to
b) Mystery ad (also called the “wait-and-bait” ad)
(1). Identity of brand not revealed until end of ad
(2). Heightens curiosity and situational involvement
(3). Particularly effective in generating category-based processing and
storing brand associations in memory
c) Use of Avatars by online marketers to induce more arousal and
involvement.
d) Scratch-and-sniff ads
e) Interactive ads
C. Message Context and Repetition
1. The context of a message can affect the strength and salience of beliefs to the
consumer.
2. Message repetition:
a) Helps consumers acquire basic knowledge
b) Aids in learning and recalling information (incidental learning)
c) Enhances brand awareness
d) Can make claims more believable (the truth effect), especially when ads
are spaced out over time.
V. Affective Bases of Attitudes When Consumer Effort Is Low
A. The Mere Exposure Effect
1. We prefer familiar objects to unfamiliar ones.
2. Consumers’ attitudes toward an offering change over time—objects become
more liked as they become more familiar.
3. Mostly demonstrated in controlled laboratory experiments.
4. Can help an unknown brand compete with other unknown brands if
performance is similar and consumers expend little processing effort?
5. When consumers can easily process stimulus information, they are more likely
to prefer the brand and believe the ad claims.
6. Marketing Implications
a) Since consumers’ attitudes may become more favorable with time, even
when consumers initially dislike new offerings, marketers may be able to
enhance consumers’ liking for a new offering by repeatedly exposing
consumers to the offering itself or the messages about it.
b) Repetition is critical when MAO is low, but watch out for ad “wearout.”
B. Classical and Evaluative Conditioning
1. A way of affecting consumers’ attitudes without invoking much processing
effort. Evaluative conditioning is a case oc cc. It produces an affective
a)
May serve as unconditioned stimuli, create a positive mood that affects
consumers’ evaluations of the ad or brand, and make consumers feel
more positive about the endorsed products
3. Celebrity Sources
a) Combine physical attractiveness and likeability to account for one-third of
television advertising
B. The Message
1. Pleasant Pictures
a) Can affect ad and brand attitudes when they are processed peripherally
2. Music
a) Can create different emotional responses and convey different product
meanings
3. Humor
a) Can be used to attract consumers’ attention and increase liking of the ad
and the brand
b) Most effective when tied or related to the offering, otherwise consumers
may pay attention to the humor and not the brand.
c) Marketing Implications
(1) Humor works best on TV and radio
(2) Humor is more effective with some audiences than others; for
example, young, more educated males respond the most positively
to humor.
(3) While humor is universal, specifics of humor are culturally specific.
4. Sex
a) Sex as a communication technique appears in two major forms
(1) Sexual suggestiveness involves situations that portray or imply
sexual themes or romance
(2) Nudity or partial nudity is the other technique used in ads.
b) Marketing Implications
(1) Sex in marketing can be effective because it attracts consumers’
attention, and it can evoke an emotional response which in turn can
affect consumers’ moods.
(2) However, sexual messages may create negative feelings such as
embarrassment or disgust in some consumers.
(3) Men and women vary in their responsiveness to sexual marketing
messages.
(4) The sexual content of a marketing message should be consistent
with the product/service being advertised.
(5) Consumer reaction to sexual marketing communications varies
across cultures.
5. Emotional Content
a) The goal of transformational advertising is to associate the experience of
using the product with a unique set of psychological characteristics
thereby increasing emotional involvement.
b) Dramas attempt to get the consumer to empathize with the characters
and become involved emotionally.
6. Message Context
a) The program or editorial context in which a message appears affects
consumers’ evaluation.
b) Programs influence consumers to transfer their feelings about the
program to the ad (excitation transfer hypothesis).
products that are less well known to the consumer and for products that require far less
cognitive processing effort (products with a simple belief schema).
6. In low-effort situations, what characteristics of the message influence consumers’
affective response?
The characteristics of the message that influence consumers’ affective response include
the credibility, attractiveness, and likeability of the source, as well as message content
factors such as the use of pleasant pictures, music, humor, sex, emotional content, and
message context.
7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of featuring celebrities in advertising
messages?
Typically, celebrities often rank high on attractiveness, likeability and credibility. When
the celebrity directly relates to the product being advertised (match-up hypothesis),
celebrity sources can be very effective at affecting consumer attitudes. However, there is
a danger for the advertiser to link their product to a celebrity whose credibility or
likeability changes. Public scandal has affected numerous celebrities’ ability to promote
products.
Similarly, have students carefully consider the target markets of each of these
magazines. Would they have similar opinions regarding ads placed in magazines that
they do not read frequently or at all? Ask students, if a high-end item is advertised in a
magazine they have brought in, what does that tell them about the magazines
demographics.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
1. Give an example of how the mere exposure effect could be used to influence consumers’
affective response to the brand you are considering.
2. Knowing that marketers can influence cognitively based attitudes when consumer effort
is low, explain how you could use characteristics of the source, message, and context to
influence consumers’ brand perceptions of the brand you are considering.
3. The mere exposure effect and classical conditioning are both ways marketers can
influence the affective bases of attitudes when consumer effort is low. Describe how you
could use both of these approaches to complement each other in a marketing effort for
the brand you are considering.
4. Describe in what circumstances classical conditioning is most likely to be successful.
Develop a list of reasons why it is difficult to use classical conditioning in marketing and
advertising.
5. Explain what is meant by “attitude toward the ad.” Outline its key components and
explain why it is important to advertising and marketing.
6. Explain the dual-mediation hypothesis and explain why it is important to marketing and
advertising.
7. Explain why consumers often process messages using heuristics. Describe some
common types of heuristics that consumers might employ. Offer examples of situations in
which these heuristics could be used.
8. Explain how source attractiveness can influence consumer attitudes and include a
description of factors that might mediate this process. Provide several examples of
marketing communications that illustrate this process.
9. Discuss how humor in advertising impacts upon consumer attitudes. Provide examples of
marketing communications that effectively use this technique.
This experiential exercise was contributed by Professor Sheri Bridges of Wake Forest University.
ask students to vote for a favorite (it is up to the instructor whether to allow students to
vote for their own group’s idea). Give the winning group a small prize (a bag of candy, for
example).
3. Consider visiting the local grocery store to find examples of marketing efforts that call
attention to how companies are making efforts to build categories, schemas, or scripts for
their products. Examples of these efforts might include: (a) coupons that may be
designed to induce trial, but may actually serve as a classical conditioning tool, teaching
customers to react to the promotion; (b) advertisements that include characteristics
designed to influence affectively based attitudes when consumer effort is low (e.g., using
source, message, or context characteristics). Use these and other examples to stimulate
discussion about how marketers are or are not using principles of consumer behavior to
support their marketing efforts.