COGNITIVE PROCESS OF

CONSUMER DECISION
MAKING

Discussant:

MABEL O. LOPEZ

BACKGROUND OF THE
MODEL
- To explain how the cognitive system
processes information Paul J. Peter and
Jerry C. Olson have developed Cognitive
Process in Consumer Decision Making
- Consumer decision making involves
three important cognitive process. (1)
interpret (2) integrate (3) retrieve

PROPOSITION OF THE MODEL

Cognitive Process of Consumer Decision Making

EXPOSURE
Exposure to information is
critically important for consumers
interpretation processes.
Types of exposure to marketing
information:
purposive
or
intentional exposure and random
or accidental exposure

ATTENTION
Attention implies selectivity
Attention
also
connotes
awareness and consciousness.
Attention
also
suggests
intensity and arousal

Factors Influencing Attention

Affective States- Consumers affective arousal can
influence attention process.
Involvement- the level of involvement felt by a
consumer is determined by the means-end chains
activated from memory. Involvement is a
motivational state that guides the selection of
stimuli for focal attention and comprehension
Environmental Prominence- the stimuli associated
with marketing strategies can also influence
consumers attention.

COMPREHENSION
Comprehending less familiar stimuli usually
requires more conscious thought and control
Comprehension can vary along a continuum
from shallow to deep.
Shallow comprehension produces meaning at a
concrete, tangible level.
Deep comprehension produces more abstract
meaning that represent less tangible, more
subjective and symbolic concepts.

ATTITUDE
Attitude is a persons overall evaluation of a
concept.
An overall evaluation is formed when consumers
integrate knowledge, meanings and belief about the
attitude concept.
The evaluations produced by the attitude formation
process may be stored in memory.
Attitudes can be measured simply and directly by
asking consumers to evaluate the concept of interest.

Measuring Attitudes
McDonalds French Fries
Extremely Unfavorable

-3

-2

-1

+1

+2

+3

Extremely Favorable

Dislike Very Much

-3

-2

-1

+1

+2

+3

Like Very Much

Very Bad

-3

-2

-1

+1

+2

+3

Very Good

Attitudes are measured using semantic differentials rating scales that are
anchored by two opposing descriptions on either side of the scale.

Salient beliefs and Attitude

Salient beliefs about
Crest

All beliefs about Crest

Crest has fluoride
Crest is approved by the
American Dental Association
Crest has mint flavor
Crest comes in a gel
Crest is made by Procter &
Gamble
Crest has a red, white, and
blue package
Crest prevents cavities
Crest freshens breath
Crest gets teeth clean
Crest comes in tubes
Crest comes in a pump
container
Crest is more expensive than
store brands
Crest is what my parents use
Crest has a tartar-control
formula

Crest has fluoride

Crest has mint flavor
Crest comes in a gel
Crest comes in a pump
container
Crest has a tartar-control
formula

Attitude
toward
Crest

Salient beliefs and Attitude

Has
fluoride

Has mint
flavor
Comes in a
gel

Crest
Has a tartar-control
formula

Comes in a
pump

Salient beliefs and Attitude

Freshens breath

Has
fluoride

Prevents
cavities

Has mint
flavor

Tastes good
Comes in a
gel
Has a red, white,
and blue package

Is made by
Procter &
Gamble

Crest

Approved by the
American Dental
Association
Is what my
parents use

Has a tartar-control
formula

Is more expensive
than store brands

Gets teeth clean

Comes in a
pump
No mess
Comes in tubes

Understanding Attitudes
Attitudes depend on two things:
The strength of salient beliefs
The evaluation of the salient beliefs

Measuring Belief Component

Diet Pepsi has no caffeine

Strongly Disagree

123456789--10

Strongly Agree

Diet Pepsi has cola flavor

Strongly Disagree

123456789--10

Strongly Agree

Measuring Evaluation Component

Sodas that have no caffeine

Very Bad

-3

-2

-1

+1

+2

+3

Very Good

Sodas with cola flavor

Very Bad

-3

-2

-1

+1

+2

+3

Very Good

The Multi-attribute Model

It is a mathematical way of expressing the
concept of attitudes.
Multiply the strength of each salient belief
with the corresponding evaluation.
Add it all up. You now have a numerical
representation of attitude.

Multi-attribute Attitude Model

b1 = 10

7up
Ao = 27

b2 = 5

No caffeine
e1 = +3
All natural
ingredients
e2 = +1

b3 = 8
Lemon-lime
flavor

e3 = -1

Multi-attribute Attitude Model

b1 = 6

Diet
Pepsi
Ao = 4

b2 = 6

No calories
e1 = +2
Caffeine
e2 = -3

b3 = 10
Cola flavor

e3 = +1

Attitude Behavior Link

Does a positive attitude mean favorable
behavior.
No.
This relationship is examined in the Theory
of Reasoned Action a model of behavior
that explains how attitudes link to behavior.

Beliefs, Attitude, and Behaviors

Beliefs about
Pizza Hut
Has pan pizzas
Has super supreme
pizzas
Has a salad bar
Serves beer
Is more expensive than
Dominos
Has convenient
location
Has free parking
Has pleasant
employees
Has nice atmosphere

Behaviors toward
Pizza Hut

Attitude
toward
Pizza
Hut
Ao

Feedback

Go to Pizza Hut on
Friday night
Order a large pan pizza
Complain to manager
Ignore Pizza Hut ad on
TV
Use a Pizza Hut coupon
for a free soft drink
Recommend Pizza Hut
to boss
Read Pizza Hut menu

The Theory of Reasoned Action

Beliefs that
behavior B
leads to salient
consequences
Evaluation of
salient
consequences

Beliefs that
relevant others
think I should
perform the
behavior B
Motivation to
comply with
relevant others

Attitude
toward
behavior B
Aact

Relative
weighting
for
importance

Subjective
norm about
behavior B
SN

Intention
to
perform
behavior
B

Behavior
B

Behavioral Intention Rating Scale

All things considered, how likely are you to

use newspaper coupons when buying
groceries this week or next?

Extremely unlikely

-3

-2

-1

+1

+2

+3

Extremely likely

Factors that weaken the relationship

between intention and behavior
Intervening
Time

Different
Levels of
Specificity

Unforeseen
Intermediate
Consumption
Events

Unforeseen
Changes in
Environmental
Context
Degree of
Voluntary
Control

Instability of
Intentions

New
Information

APPLICATION OF THE
MODEL
This model may be applied in a wide range of
marketing aspect, human factors, clinical
psychology, sociology, political science and
economics. Furthermore, applications of
cognitive modeling are beginning to spill over
into a wide range of decision-based systems
such as cognitive informatics, software agent
systems, expert systems, and decision support
systems.

CRITICISMS OF THE MODEL

Situational influences, novelty, curiosity, emotive or
other nonspecific motivational processes, habit and
decision-making process should be included in the
process.
This explicitly excludes a vast number of joint decisions
both in the family and in organizations.
A theory of search behavior is badly needed especially
in light of the contemporary concerns about the overload
of both quality and quantity of information
communicated to the people

RESEARCHES ANCHORED
IN THE MODEL
1. The Effects of Physiological Arousal on Information
Processing and Persuasion by David M. Sanbonmatsu and
Frank R. Kardes
The effects of physiological arousal on persuasion are
investigated. An exercise task was used to manipulate
physiological arousal, and systolic blood pressure readings
were taken to assess the effectiveness of this manipulation.
The results indicate that endorser status (celebrity or
noncelebrity) has a stronger influence on brand attitudes under
high than under moderate levels of physiological arousal,
whereas argument strength has a greater impact under
moderate than under high arousal levels.

RESEARCHES ANCHORED
IN THE MODEL
2. Happy

and Sad TV Programs: How They Affect Reactions to

Commercials by Marvin E. Goldberg, Gerald J. Gorn
Relative to a sad TV program, a happy program
induced: (1) a happier mood as viewers watched both program
and commercials, (2) greater perceived commercial
effectiveness, (3) more affectively positive cognitive responses,
and (4) to some extent, better recall. A main effect for
commercial type was also noted, with emotional commercials
leading to generally more positive reactions than informational
commercials. A significant program-by-commercial interaction
was obtained for the viewer's mood during the commercial,
with the program effect greater for those viewing emotional
commercials than for those viewing informational
commercials.

RESEARCHES ANCHORED
IN THE MODEL
The Role of Involvement in Attention and Comprehension
Processes by Richard L. Celsi, Jerry C. Olson
The study designed to test several hypotheses concerning the
effects of intrinsic and situational sources of personal relevance on
felt involvement and on the amount of attention and
comprehension effort, the focus of attention and comprehension
processes, and the extent of cognitive elaboration during
comprehension. Felt involvement is a motivational state that
affects the extent and focus of consumers' attention and
comprehension processes, and thus the specific meanings that are
produced. The results of the study provide strong evidence that felt
involvement plays a motivational role in consumers' attention and

comprehension processes.

RESEARCHES ANCHORED
IN
THE
MODEL
4. External Search Effort: An Investigation Across Several Product Categories by
Sharon E. Beatty, Scott M. Smith

Utilizing an involvement perspective and Punj and Stewart's

(1983) interaction framework of decision making, the relationship
between external search effort and a number of motivating antecedent
variables is investigated and evaluated across five related consumer
electronic products. The findings confirm four of five hypothesized
relationships between total search effort and the following variables:
purchase involvement (+), attitudes toward shopping (+), time availability
(+), and product class knowledge (). The relationship between ego
involvement and total search effort was not significant. The influence of
these variables upon a number of sub indices of external search, including
retailer search, media search, interpersonal search, and neutral sources
search, is also investigated and reported .