TY - JOUR
T1 - Heart versus mind
T2 - the functions of emotional and cognitive loyalty
AU - Härtel, Charmine E.J.
AU - Russell-Bennett, Rebekah
PY - 2010/2/1
Y1 - 2010/2/1
N2 - While there is substantial research on attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, the deconstruction of attitudinal loyalty into its two key components - emotional and cognitive loyalty - has been largely ignored. Despite the existence of managerial strategies aimed at increasing each of these two components, there is little academic research to support these managerial efforts. This paper seeks to advance the understanding of emotional and cognitive brand loyalty by examining the psychological function that these dimensions of brand loyalty perform for the consumer. We employ Katz's (1960) four functions of attitudes (utilitarian, knowledge, value-expression, ego-defence) to investigate this question. Surveys using a convenience sample were completed by 268 consumers in two metropolitan cities on a variety of goods, services and durable products. The relationship between the functions and dimensions of loyalty were examined using MANOVA. The results show that both the utilitarian and knowledge functions of loyalty are significantly positively related to cognitive loyalty while the ego-defensive function of loyalty is significantly positively related to emotional loyalty. The results for the value-expressive function of loyalty were non-significant.
AB - While there is substantial research on attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, the deconstruction of attitudinal loyalty into its two key components - emotional and cognitive loyalty - has been largely ignored. Despite the existence of managerial strategies aimed at increasing each of these two components, there is little academic research to support these managerial efforts. This paper seeks to advance the understanding of emotional and cognitive brand loyalty by examining the psychological function that these dimensions of brand loyalty perform for the consumer. We employ Katz's (1960) four functions of attitudes (utilitarian, knowledge, value-expression, ego-defence) to investigate this question. Surveys using a convenience sample were completed by 268 consumers in two metropolitan cities on a variety of goods, services and durable products. The relationship between the functions and dimensions of loyalty were examined using MANOVA. The results show that both the utilitarian and knowledge functions of loyalty are significantly positively related to cognitive loyalty while the ego-defensive function of loyalty is significantly positively related to emotional loyalty. The results for the value-expressive function of loyalty were non-significant.
KW - Attitudes
KW - Attitudinal loyalty
KW - Brand loyalty
KW - Emotional loyalty
KW - Functional approach
KW - Value-expression
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=75349111692&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ausmj.2009.10.003
DO - 10.1016/j.ausmj.2009.10.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:75349111692
SN - 1441-3582
VL - 18
SP - 1
EP - 7
JO - Australasian Marketing Journal
JF - Australasian Marketing Journal
IS - 1
ER -