Marketing communication: principles and practice

C O N S U M E R B E H A V I O U R A N D C O M M U N I C A T I O N
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Significance 
factors:
quality, price,
distinctiveness,
service, availability
Symbolic 
factors:
quality, price,
distinctiveness,
service, availability
Social 
factors:
family, reference
groups, social class,
etc.
Overt
search
Stimulus
ambiguity
Attention
Perceptual
bias
Confidence
Attitude
Intention
Motive
Choice 
criteria
Brand
comprehension
Purchase
Intention
Attitude
Brand
comprehension
Satisfaction Attention
INPUTS
PERCEPTION
LEARNING
OUTPUTS
Figure 3.1
A simplified version of the Howard–Sheth model of consumer behaviour

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to the symbols attached to them by other social entities (reference groups,
persons, societies, etc.).
The two components of a judgement are 
facts
and 
frames
(see Figure
3.2). Basic facts often come from the environment, whereas frames are
personal cognitive maps. People differ in their judgements because their frames
differ. Some influences can affect our knowledge but not the frames we use
to judge facts, while other influences have more effect on our frame of refer-
ence. As we shall see in chapter fourteen, advertising may be designed to make
relatively durable modifications to the frames used to evaluate products.
Several underlying factors can be identified to explain the actions of
consumers. Wells and Prensky (1996) suggest a set of consumer background
characteristics and a set of behavioural processes. These are each introduced
here and then each is explored in greater detail.