The Psychological Spectrum: Affect

The affective portion of attitudes brings to the consumer the emotions experienced or associated with an object, person, or situation. Often, upon purchasing products that satisfy consumers needs and/or wants, the feelings are positive; a lack of met needs often brings negative associations.

In the AIDA Model, a model of the consumer decision-making process, we see desire as the affective portion of the decision process.

Attention

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Interest

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Desire

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Action

The affective portion of one's attitude supplies them with feelings for each stage of the buying process:

Pre-purchase:

• Feelings about their current state, without the product in mind
• Feelings about the product--the quality, the level of appeal to the consumer
• Feelings about the product's ability to meet the needs and wants of the consumer

Peri-purchase:

• Feelings associated with the product upon purchasing
• Feelings associated with the purchasing process

Post-purchase:

• Feelings of satisfaction, meeting the needs and wants of the consumer, or
• Feelings of dissatisfaction, a result of the lack of needs and wants being met.

Furthermore, on a broader scale in psychological and communication theory, as stated by Greenwald, the combination of attitude plus self-esteem enters into a large composition of one's overall self-perception (11), which in turn determines the individual's needs and wants, further generating feelings for the products that can meet these needs.

Affect is therefore a crucial component and factor in discussing the concept of attitude and its theory. It encompasses one's attitude both internally and externally, by being a factor of attitude and by attitude contributing to affect in an individual's self-perception respectively.

Next - The Overview - The Introduction - The Psychological Spectrum - The Relationships - The Economic Realm - The Conclusion - The Resources - The Contacts - The Author

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