Motivational research - passing phase or permanent feature?

Abstract

In the first draft version of the paper on the Attitude-Behaviour Relationship (30th September, 1975) it was pointed out to readers that despite researchers' emphasis on understanding the "why" of consumer behaviour in order to complete the attitude-behaviour equation, the first paper would not deal with the subject of motivational research. This was because the history and theoretical bases for understanding the place of motivational research in modern psychological amd marketing thinking were significantly different from attitude theories and research techniques to warrant a separate and thorough treatment. Such diverse writers on the attitude-behaviour relationship as the market researchers Bird and Ehrenberg and the philosopher Audi were reported to have concluded their studies by stressing the motivational component as "largely responsible for the behaviour to which an attitude leads and which psychologists are concerned to predict.".