Attitudinal research

Welcome, everyone. Today, we're going to explore attitudinal research, a key area in marketing and social sciences focused on understanding people's feelings, beliefs, and values. Attitudinal research isn't just about what people do but why they do it. It uncovers factors shaping preferences, influencing decisions, and driving behavior. By examining attitudes, we gain deeper insight into consumer motivations, understanding which products appeal, messages that resonate, and the impact of social forces on choices. Attitudes are complex mental states comprised of beliefs, feelings and behavioral intentions toward an object, such as a product, idea or organization. Researchers study attitudes using both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Common tools include surveys and structured questionnaires with rating scales like liquet or semantic differentials which quantify agreement or preference. Qualitative methods, such as interviews and focus groups offer deeper insights into the reasons behind attitudes, revealing the stories behind people's choices. Attitudinal research often intersects with social values and customer expectations. Lynn Kaylee's research shows how values like self respect, security, or belonging underpin consumer preferences, shaping brand perception and buying decisions. Action research methods, such as customer value discovery workshops, have participants describe and prioritize what matters most in their own words. This participatory process reveals what customers