Tricomponent Attitude Models (Case Study Walt Disney)

Chapter 1

Attitude

1.1 Definition

Originally, the term attitude derived from the Latin words for posture or physical position (Ikechukwu, Daubry, & Chijindu, 2012). An attitude is a mental and neural state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon the individual's response to all objects and situations with which it is related (Allport, 1935). An attitude in consumer behavior terms is defined as a general evaluation of a product or service formed over time (Solomon, 2018). An attitude can be a positive, negative, or mixed evaluation of an object expressed at some level of intensity. An attitude itself is an expression that is shown by an individual as the evaluation of the object that could be a favorable or unfavorable one. it involves a complex combination that is related to each other of evaluative beliefs, feelings, and tendencies toward certain actions. An attitude is defined as a learned predisposition to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a given object (Fishbein & Aizen, 1975)

Attitude Characteristic

1. Attitude has an Object: An attitude has an object. We can like it or dislike it. Favored or disfavored for us, negative or positive for us. The object can be a thing (car, mobile phone, etc.), an idea (have a plan to spend holidays in Bali, etc.), a person (our friend, somebody, etc.), or a situation (Speaking in front of many people, become vegetarian, etc.)

2. Attitude is learned: an attitude is not existing since we were born. They are learned through our social interactions and our experiences. We are surely interacting with others, experience many things in our lives and from them we acquire information about things. We can say this is a learning process. As a result of learning then we form our negative or positive attitudes towards different things, there is a shift from no attitude to some attitude towards objects.

3. Attitude is predisposition: it is meaning a prior determined or learned view of a thing or tendency to act, this is the state of readiness to react to objects in a specific way towards a thing, we as an individual have a view which is already formed in our mind.

4. Attitudes are relatively stable phenomena: An attitude is lasting because it tends to endure over time (Solomon, 2018). The attitudes are not momentary feelings but a long-held view of something. The attitude of Indonesians who like Japanese cars such as Toyota (Innova, Avanza) tends to last a long time and does not necessarily then like cars made in China or Korea. Though attitudes can be changed from time to time it is a relatively stable phenomenon that persists for a period of time Chinese and Korean automakers must continue to communicate their products for a long and gradual period of time in Indonesia so their product will be accepted in Indonesia.

5. Attitude has an emotional component in addition to the rational side: Attitude has an emotional aspect of liking or disliking in relation to an object, which is often we cannot explain everything by reason for various reasons formed from individual learning experiences and processes.

Chapter 2

Tricomponent Attitude Models Explanation

towards People’s Attitude in Visiting the Disney World

In this chapter, we will review the tri-component of Attitude models toward People’s attitudes in visiting the Disney Word. As Mentioned in chapter 1, the components are Cognition, Affection, and Behavior.

The cognition component is what people know about Disney World. It is the people's knowledge and perception of Disney World. This is what people believe about Disney World. At this stage maybe they are (people) know that Disney is a world-famous resort consisting of theme parks (Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park), two water Parks (Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Parks, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park), over 25 Resort hotel properties, and a variety of additional entertainment offerings (TripAdvisor, 2021). We all know that Disney World has been around for years and we’ve all grown up on it. A lot of things have been done by Disney in the entertainment industry. With everything Disney had done (including all the movies they have made), parents want to take their family to the most friendly entertainment and amusement place in the world for the family.

The affective component is what people or consumers feel about the product in this case Disney World. We can say that maybe all people, especially kids like Disney but we also must be aware there are also people who don’t like Disney. This is the emotional status of people about Disney World, which could be favorable or unfavorable. Like or dislike could be coming from their experience with Disney or just liking because they already know about Disney World and all the values and attributes shown by Disney to the people (world). If an individual has a favorable response or positive feelings about Disney ads might lead them to conclude that visiting this venue (Disney World) will be a positive, great experience, and bring pleasure.

A consumer’s emotions or feelings about a particular product or brand constitute the affective component of an attitude. A person’s positive feelings about Disney ads might lead him/her to conclude that visiting Disney World will be a positive, pleasant, and good experience.

From a Marketing perspective, this means knowing how the customers feel about their product/service. This is very important for the marketer, whether the communication had been built successfully fosters a positive feeling towards the product so that people will be interested and come to Disney.

The behavior/conative Component is the specific action or behavior of an individual toward Disney World. This is referring to the active individual takes towards the object (Disney), people go to Disney with their family, experience all the facility in Disney or just an intention to take action about it (Disney) for example we are decided to go Disney land with our family by the end of this month to celebrate 2022 new year.

The question then is, which one is come first of these three components in the Disney case? Knowing, feeling, or doing? Attitude researchers developed The Hierarchy of Effects to explain the relative impact of the three components Each hierarchy specifies that a fixed sequence of steps occurs on route to an attitude (Solomon, 2018). Below is the variative on how attitude is showed by individual related to the nature of buying complexity and the nature of product what they will buy:

1. High-Involvement Hierarchy: 

Think → Feel→ Do; Cognition →Affect → Behavior (CAB)

This approach assumes that an individual approaches the product decision as the problem-solving process, their beliefs of the product based on their accumulates knowledge regarding relevant attributes as the driver of the decision-making process continues on the evaluation process that forms the feeling of the product then finally decides to buy the product.  In the case of consumer behavior towards Disney World, this model confirms that consumers decide to visit Disney (and enjoy the holiday there) driven by their knowledge of Disney which forms the belief that Disney chooses entertainment venues that can meet the needs and desires of himself and his children then formed emotions/likes about Disney and decided to vacation to Disney. Individuals who go through this stage may decide to vacation to Disney is a high involvement decision (because it is not cheap to vacation to Disney, the cost of tickets, plane costs, vacation time, etc. so it needs to be thought about carefully).

2. Low-Involvement Hierarchy: 

Think → Do →Feel/ Cognition → Behavior → Affect (CBA)

This approach assumes that individual doesn’t have strong preferences for one brand over another, instead, individual acts on the basis of limited knowledge and forms an evaluation only after they have bought the product. The attitude is likely to come about through behavioral learning, the as good or bad experience reinforces their initial choice. They are more likely to respond to simple stimulus-response connections when they make a purchase decision. Consumers are not motivated to process a lot of complex, brand-related information. Instead, they will be swayed by principles of behavioral learning, such as the simple responses that conditioned brand names or point of purchase displays elicit. In this case, people jump to action after they know What Disney does, they don’t have a strong preference for one brand or other/alternative resort to spend the holiday. They Just respond to simple stimuli when they make decisions about going to Disney.

 

3. The Experiential Hierarchy: 

Feel → Do → Think / Affect → Behavior → Cognition (ABC)

This approach assumes that individuals act on the basis of their emotional reactions. According to this perspective, intangible product attributes (such as package design, advertising, brand name, and the nature of the setting in which the experience occurs, can help shape the attitude our attitude toward a brand.  According to this model, the motives and desires of the people going to Disney World are driven by their feeling or emotion about Disney World. The motivation for consumption is more driven by emotional aspects.

 Chapter 3

Conclusion

Attitude is not formed from a single factor. The three attribute factors of an attitude consist of Cognition, Affection, and Behavior. What drive the consumption or consumer is coming from these three elements and how those elements process and interact will differ in each person's background or motivation towards his or her object. Understanding marketers how that behavior is realized and working are critical to determining how a marketer determines an effective and efficient marketing communication strategy.