Attitude about particular school course

1. Running head: Attitude 1
Attitude
Sharon L. Jones
MKT/435
April 17, 2016
Susan Tomaski

2. Running head: Attitude 2
Attitude
When an individual hears the term “attitude”, they likely will equate it to someone who is
constantly mad at someone or mad about something, or on the other hand, always smiling or
having a good “attitude.” Attitude is considered to be a learned predisposition to behave in a
consistently favorable or unfavorable way toward a given object. (Schiffman & Wisenblit,
2016) I personally prefer dealing with people who have a positive attitude than those who
constantly display a negative attitude or persona. This paper will strive to provide some of
my personal opinions concerning attitude, as well as other professional opinions, and its
particular influence on my life and its relevance to this course.
Pre-Attitude: Consumer Behavior Course
A person who is in their last year of pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree is classified as a college
senior. I fit into this category and am really happy at this time. Before starting this course, I had
seven courses left before I finished the requirements of my degree. I had no idea what this
marketing course would entail or how difficult it might be. Although I wasn’t worried, I was
somewhat curious because it didn’t really sound like a marketing course to me. My attitude (there
goes that word again) remains upbeat and nonchalant. Attitudes are specifically directed at an
object. (Schiffman & Wisenblit, 2016) My particular object is this class. A factor that influences
my attitude is the fact that this course is a requirement for me to succeed in my goal of attaining
my Bachelors. I am and continue to be ready and willing to do my best in this course. Sometimes
fear of the unknown or fear of failure, is another factor that can cause a person to have a negative
attitude toward accomplishing anything. In previous classes, like Statistics, my friends had
forewarned me about the level of difficulty and caused me to actually fear taking that course. I
started the course with trepidation and fear. This fearful attitude stayed with me throughout
Statistics and actually made the course a lot harder than it actually was. My fearful attitude may

3. Running head: Attitude 3
have prevented me from doing my best in the course. In my case, I chose to accept the fact that
this course is required, therefore my behavior and attitude remains positive towards
Marketing/435 Consumer Behavior.
Post-Attitude: Consumer Behavior Course
My attitude remains positive as finish up the third week of “Consumer Behavior.” My
first week was spent understanding what will be required in the course. I found out that this
course really delves into analyzing the behavior of consumers and how they purchase products or
services. Consumer behavior was defined and the role that consumer behavior plays in marketing
strategies, as well as the effect of external influences on consumer behavior. (Schiffman &
Wisenblit, 2016) The second week went on to explain other influences on consumer behavior,
such as family, culture, and subcultures. Unlike the previous Statistics course, I did not allow my
mental state to be altered or my attitude to be influenced by family or friends prior to taking this
course. According to the text, “Consumer Behavior”, personal experience, family, friends, media,
the Internet, and sometimes social media, can have an effect on attitude formation. (Schiffman &
Wisenblit, 2016) I was willing to form my own opinion of this course and took this attitude into
the third week. The third week continued with explaining how attitudes influence consumer
learning and behavior. My attitude has remained upbeat and my motivation has increased.
Motivation is a factor in maintaining a positive attitude. It is the ability and energy required to
keep up a positive or favorable attitude. Attitude is a mental state. It relates to emotions and is
supported by how you view yourself. (Luciani, 2013) I feel good about myself and my eagerness
to learn new concepts and ideas. This view of myself is positive and reflects a positive viewpoint.
Negative attitudes are often stressful factors in anxiety and depression, whereas motivated,
empowering attitudes are factors in supporting ambitious achievement of goals. (Luciani, 2013)
My curiosity about this course has been satisfied and my attitude remains positive. Another factor

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that keeps my attitude positive and my motivation high, is the discussion posts. Discussing the
text contents and relating those contents to life events and everyday events that may happen in
our lives, is very helpful to me. The topics are thoroughly discussed by the instructor, whose
positive attitude comes through on the discussion thread. Having an instructor or facilitator who
is knowledgeable about the subject matter helps in motivating students like myself, to do their
best.
Conclusion
So far, this marketing course, Consumer Behavior, has taught me that new attitudes are
formed and existing attitudes can be changed. (Schiffman & Wisenblit, 2016) I started this course
with a slight curiosity but I also possessed the motivation and desire to begin learning something
new. The course has not disappointed me. I have gained insight into how marketers utilize
different forms of advertising to gather information on how consumer behavior relates to what
method they may utilize market a particular product or brand. My attitude has remained positive
when working with members of my Learning Team. Sometimes it is difficult working with others
on a team assignment because not everyone may perform their fair share of the work. I recognize
this ahead of time and try to remain positive and be the most cooperative as I personally can to
finish the team assignment. For others, who assume the Lead position, keeping a positive attitude
can be difficult. Although we are not able to physically interact with each other, negative tones
come through on some of the team posts. It truly is not fair for others to not participate in the
team effort and expect to receive as good as a grade as the participating members. I felt that my
Team Lead this week tried his best to stay positive, but the frustrated attitude came through
somewhat towards the end. This paper has endeavored to explain the stages of my attitude before
I started this course, some factors that influenced my attitude, and changes in my attitude as the
course progressed. This continues to be an interesting course and as we count down the days in

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the remaining two weeks. I hope that my motivation stays high and my attitude remains positive
as I continue in my goal of finishing up the last courses of my degree in Business Marketing.
References
Luciani, J. J. (2013, October 27). What's the Difference Between Attitude and Motivation.
Retrieved from Self-Coaching.net: http://self-coaching.net/blog/whats-the-difference-
between-attitude-and-motivation/

6. Running head: Attitude 6
Schiffman, L. G., & Wisenblit, J. (2016). Attitude. Retrieved from Phoenix.vitalsource.com:
https://phoenix.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323122082/cfi/6/10!/4/2/2@0:0

7. Running head: Attitude 6
Schiffman, L. G., & Wisenblit, J. (2016). Attitude. Retrieved from Phoenix.vitalsource.com:
https://phoenix.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323122082/cfi/6/10!/4/2/2@0:0