An attitudeis a “learned predisposition to respond
to an object or class of objects in a consistently favorable or unfavorable way.”
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Attitudes are shaped by our values and beliefs, which are learned. Values vary by
level of specificity. We speak of American core values, including material wellbeing and humanitarianism. We also have personal values, such as thriftiness and
ambition. Marketers are concerned with both but focus mostly on personal values. Personal values affect attitudes by influencing the importance assigned to
specific product attributes. Suppose thriftiness is one of your personal values.
When you evaluate cars, fuel economy (a product attribute) becomes important. If
you believe a specific car brand has this attribute, you are likely to have a favorable
attitude toward it.