METHODS OF MEASURING ATTITUDES

Tri-component Attitude Model

According to the tri-component attitude model, there are of three major components of attitudes: cognition, affect and conation.
Cognitive component :Cognitions are previous experiences with or knowledge about the object.  which allows the consumer to form perceptions or beliefs about the product.  This component comprises rational judgments, beliefs, and perceptions related to various aspects of the object.  For instance, Amul butter has good taste, it is easily available, it is reasonably priced etc. 

Affective component: The affective component of an attitude consists of the consumer’s emotions or feelings.  Researchers frequently treat these emotions and feelings as evaluative in nature. Affect – laden experiences manifest themselves as emotionally charged states (such as happiness or sadness).  These states may enhance positive or negative experiences for the consumer.  Consumer researchers try to measure this element using global evaluative measures.  Emotional component related to the object.  For instance, Amul butter being an integral part of breakfast while growing up, remembering good times that were enjoyed while eating it etc

Behavioral Component

Conation, the final component of the tri-component attitude model, is related with the likelihood that an individual will undertake a specific action or behave in a particular way with regard to the object.  The conative component may consist of the actual behavior.  In consumer and marketing research, the conative component is frequently considered as an expression of the consumer’s intention to buy.  Intention-to-buy scales are used to assess the likelihood of a consumer purchasing a product or behaving in a certain way.  It shows the intention or likelihood of acquiring the object when required.  For instance, when buying butter next time, how likely is the customer to buy Amul butter?
It is important to remember that any of the beliefs may or may not be factually accurate. But these are beliefs held by the customer that he thinks are true.
Secondary, cognitive and affective components of the attitude can be held for various parts of the object, though the affective component must be held for the entire object. This follows from the fact that the intention to buy must be for the entire object, not for parts of it.
The more positive the cognitive and affective component of the attitude, the more likely is the customer to purchase or use the object. Therefore, attitudes are consistent with behaviors. 

Multi-attribute Attitude Models: The Model of ‘The Attitude – Toward – Object’ The consumer’s attitude toward a product or specific brands of a product is a function of the presence (or absence) and evaluation of certain product-specific beliefs and / or attributes.  What consumers will purchase is a function their knowledge, their feelings and their awareness as to whether particular brands possess (or lack) these valued attributes. 
The Attitude – Toward – Behavior Model : The attitude-towards –behavior model is the individual’s attitude towards behaving or acting in relation to an object, and not the attitude toward the object itself. The appeal of this model is that is seems to correspond somewhat more closely to actual behavior than does the attitude-toward-object model.  
Theory-of-Reasoned-Action Model (The extended Fishbein Model)The theory-of-reasoned-action is a comprehensive integration of attitude components into a structure that is designed to lead to both better explanation and better predictions of behavior.  Like the basic tri-component attitude model, the theory-of-reasoned-action incorporates a cognitive,  an affective and a co-native component arranged in a pattern different from that of the tri-component model.  To understand intention we also need to measure the subjective norms that influence an individual’s intention to act.

• A subjective norm can be measured directly by assessing a consumer’s feelings as to what relevant others (family, friends, roommates, co-workers) would think of the action being contemplated. 
• Consumer researchers can get behind the subjective norm to the underlying factors that are likely to produce it. 
• They accomplished this by assessing the normative beliefs that the individual attributes relevant to others, also the individual’s motivation to comply with each of the relevant others.

Attitude –Toward-the-Ad Models :As the attitude-toward-the-ad model depicts, the consumer forms various feelings (affects) and judgments (cognitions) as the result of exposure to an advertisement.  These feelings and judgments in turn affect the consumer’s attitude toward the ad and beliefs and the brand acquired from exposure to the advertisement.  Finally, the consumer’s attitude toward the advertisement and beliefs about the brand influence his or her attitude the brand. It appears that for a novel product (e.g. I-pod), the consumer’s attitude toward the advertisement has a stronger impact on brand attitudes and purchases intention that for a familiar product (e.g. walk man). This research points up the importance of considering the nature of the attitude object in assessing the potential impact of advertising exposure.  Consumer socialization (learning consumption skills from significant others such as family, friends) has also shown itself to be an important determinant of a consumer’s attitudes toward advertising.