678 Bhagat , Rabi S . ; And Others The Prediction of Consumer Buying Intentions : A Comparative Study of the Predictive Effica

The role of attitudes in the conduct of buyer behavior is examined in the context of two competiting models of attitude structure and attitudebehavior relationship. Specifically, the objectives of the study were to compare the Fishbein and Sheth models on the criteria of predictive as well as cross validities. Data cn both the models were obtained simultaneously from 243 respondents in the Champaign-Urbana area. The results show that the Sheth model has high predictive validity and cross-validity, while the Fishbein model has lower predictive validity but high cross validity. The comparative findings on the models were discussed in terms of their operationalization of the underlying constructs. And finally, the importance of other relevant moderatorvariables in improving the consistency of relationship between attitudes and behavior were shown. THE PREDICTION OF CONSUMER BUYING INTENTIONS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE PREDICTIVE EFFICACY OF TWO ATTITUDINAL MODELS1 Prediction of behavior based on attitudinal and other social-context related variables has been the concern o2 both social and consumer psychologists. Several competing models proposing conceptual links between a number of such variables and occurrences of a giyen behavioral act have been recently proposed. Fishbein (1967), for example in extending Dulany's (1967) theory of propositional control to social beaavior has formulated a model for the prediction of behavioral intention based on two major determinants: 1) attitude of the individual toward the specific act in question, 2) his social normative beliefs pertaining to the given behavioral act weighted by his motivation to comply with such relevant beliefs. Further, it has been assumed that since most social behaviors are under volitional control Ryan (1970), knowledge of an individual's behavioral intention is a necessary prerequisite in the determination of the given behavior. Rokeach (1968) in his formulation of the behavioral intention emphasized the importance of situational aspects and distinguished between attitude-toward the object and attitude-toward the situation. Triandis (1975) has proposed a model leading to the probability of occurrence of a specific behavior toward an object based on three major constructs: 1) habit of the individual in relation to the object in question, 2) his behavioral intention based on norms, roles, self-image and general intention..., 3) the facilitation factors and/or ability of the individual to Perform the specific act. Working within a behavior theory framework, Sheth (1971) developed a model in which a specific choice behavior with respect to an object is determined by 1) affect towards the object, 2) unexpected events or situational factors and 3) behavioral intention which is itself determined by multidimensional evaluative beliefs (attitudes)