Attitudes Ch. 6

Attitudes

"Is the psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor."

Affective Formation/Basis of Attitudes

-How we feel about the attitude object -Relies primarily on feelings about the attitude object ran beliefs. -Operant conditioning and Classical condition

Attitude Polarization

-Peoples attitudes can become more strong by just thinking about them and become more extreme -During the time period we are thinking about the attitude we began to think about and justify our attitudes

Ways to reduce dissonance

-change your attitude -Change your perception of the behavior -add consonant cognitions -minimize the importance of the conflict -reduce perceived choice

4 functions of attitudes

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Compatibility

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Our attitudes influence our behavior through a process of deliberate decision making, and their impact is limited in four respects:

1. Behavior is influenced less by general attitudes than by attitudes toward a specific behavior. 2. Subjective norms: our beliefs about what others think we should do. Ex Social pressures to conform. 3. Attitudes give rise to behavior only when we perceive the behavior to be within our control. 4. Although attitudes contribute to an intention to behave, people often do not or cannot follow through on their intentions.

Why do we have attitudes?

Allows us to judge quickly and without much thought whether something we first encounter is good, bad, helpful or hurtful, and to be sought or avoided.

Self-perception

Argues that the change occurs because people infer how they feel by observing their own behavior

Impression Management

Claims that the change is spurred by concerns about self-presentation

Behavioral Formation/Basis of Attitudes

How you act towards the attitude object. Your action to the object. -Relies primarily on observations of one's own behavior toward an object -Self-perception theory: observe own behavior to determine attitude

Self-affimation

States that the change is motivated by threats to the self-concept

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

The theory holding inconsistent cognitions arouses psychological tension that people become motivated to reduce.

Theory of Planned Behavior

The theory that attitudes toward a specific behavior combine with subjective norms and perceived control to influence a person's actions.

Cognition Formation/Basis of Attitudes

Thoughts and beliefs about an attitude object -Relies primarily on evaluations of or beliefs about the objective attributes or merits of the attitude object.

Do attitudes predict behavior?

Yes

When attitudes and behaviors don't match

we have cognitive tension. We strive cognitive consistency.