Marketing Management, 16th Edition

Evaluation of Alternatives

The way consumers decipher the pros and cons of available options is affected by the beliefs and attitudes they hold, whether these are valid or erroneous. These perceptions and the differing ways in which consumers process information weigh heavily in the purchase decision, as the following sections show.

Beliefs and Attitudes

Through experience and learning, people acquire beliefs and attitudes. These in turn influence buying behavior. A belief is a conviction that something is true or real, regardless of whether or not it is. Just as important are attitudes, a person’s enduring favorable or unfavorable evaluations, emotional feelings, and behavioral tendencies toward an object or idea. People have attitudes about ...