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Attitude vs behavior

Attitude data (what customers say) and behavioral data (what customers do) often do not match. Surveys that only measure attitudes risk giving a skewed picture of reality. The key to reliable insights is combining both.

There is a classic gap in market research: the difference between what people say and what they do.

In a survey, 70% say they are willing to pay more for sustainable products. In the store, most choose the cheapest alternative.

This gap is not proof that surveys are useless — it is proof that the right questions and the right data types must be combined.

Key takeaways

  • Attitude data: what customers believe, think and say, often idealized
  • Behavioral data: what customers actually do, purchases, clicks, choices
  • The gap between attitude and behavior is largest for socially desirable questions
  • The solution: triangulation, combine survey with transaction data

Example

A grocery chain asked customers about their most important criterion when choosing a store. "Quality" ranked highest. But register data showed that price promotions were the strongest driver of store choice. Attitude data said one thing — behavioral data said another.

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