Social Psych Chapter 4: Behavior and Attitudes (SOP 3004)

Attitude

- beliefs or feelings related to a person or an event (simple def.) - a favorable or unfavorable evaluative reaction toward something or someone (often rooted in one's beliefs, and expressed in one's feelings and intended behaviors) - It is a hypothetical construct: it can't be seen. We can only see the outcome. - There is always an attitude object. Aggregate attitudes are opinions.

When offered an unnecessary reward in an attempt to control behavior, the _______________ effect occurs. A) overjustification. B) underjustification. C) reward-control theory. D) insufficient justification.

A

What is one method of measuring unconscious attitudes? A) Administer the implicit association test (IAT) to subjects. B) Administer the explicit association test (EAT) to subjects. C) Administer a lie detection test to subjects. D) Administer the galvanic skin test to subjects.

A

A teenager is out with her friends at the mall. Although she doesn't believe in shoplifting, when they all take earrings and put them in their pockets, she does as well. As a result, she will most likely experience A) cognitive dissonance. B) the attitude-behavior dissimilarity theory. C) attitude inoculation. D) attitude incongruity.

A

Regarding the relationship between a person's attitudes and their behavior, which of the following is not completely accurate? A) A person's attitude will always predict their behavior. B) When social influences are minimal, attitudes are good predictors of behavior. C) When an attitude is strong, it is a good predictor of behavior. D) When the attitude is specific to the behavior, it is a good predictor of behavior.

A

Which theory pertaining to behavior affecting attitudes asserts that a person focuses on their behavior to figure out what their attitude is? A) the self-perception theory B) the self-installation theory C) the attitude searching theory D) the attitude conviction theory

A

Implicit Attitude Tests (IAT)

A computer-driven assessment of implicit attitudes. The test uses reaction times to measure ppl's automatic association beteewn attitude objects and evaluative words. Easier pairings (faster) are taken to indicate stronger unconscious associations. Have shown that: Implicit biases are pervasive, people differ in implicit bias, and people are often unaware of implicit bias.

Lowball technique

A tactic for getting people to agree to something, similar to foot in the door phenomenon. Ppl who agree to an initial request will often still comply when requester ups the ante. Ppl who receive only the costly request are less likely to comply with it. Ex - car sales.

ABCs of Attitude

Affect (feelings), Behavior (actions), Cognition (thoughts)

How well do our attitudes predict our behavior?

Allen Wicker said that people's expressed attitudes rarely predict behaviors. This relates to the idea of "moral hypocrisy". Attitudes predict behavior sometimes.

One way to find out what a person's environmental attitudes are would be to A) ask how they voted. B) observe what kind of car they bought. C) ask about their political affiliation. D) ask them about their attitudes.

B

Research shows that a person's behavior can lead the person to change their attitude. This is in line with which of the following theories? A) the self-observation theory B) the cognitive dissonance theory C) the action-cognition theory D) the distortion-cognition theory

B

Threaten a person's self-concept in one domain, and they will compensate by doing something good in another domain. This describes the A) self-presentation effect. B) self-sufficiency theory. C) self-monitoring effect. D) self-identity theory.

B

When does our behavior affect our attitudes?

Behavior can form attitudes, as in role-playing, when saying becomes believing, the foot-in-the-door phenomenon. This is seen in evil and moral acts and in social movements.

Dissonance theory explains attitude _______________, while self-perception theory explains attitude _______________. A) formation; change. B) incongruity; justification. C) change; formation. D) justification; incongruity.

C

Actions expected of those who occupy a particular social position are called A) norms. B) status. C) roles. D) values.

C

Curt's car is in the shop, so he asks Steve to take him to the library to return some books before they become overdue. When they finish returning the books and are back in Steve's car, Curt asks if Steve will take him to pick up his dry cleaning. And Steve does. Steve complied due to which of the techniques? A) the deceitful-favor technique. B) the door-in-the-face technique. C) the foot-in-the-door technique. D) the low-ball technique.

C

Jeff received an advertisement for his "dream car," with such a low price, it was too good to be true. He rushed down to the car dealer's, only to discover that it was a stripped down, bare-bones model. He bought the car anyway, paying extra for air conditioning, power steering, power windows, a sunroof, a CD player, and a DVD player. To which of the following techniques did Jeff succumb? A) the foot-in-the-door technique. B) the door-in-the-mouth technique. C) the low-ball technique. D) cognitive dissonance.

C

Which of the following is one of the key components in the study of attitudes? A) social intelligence B) mental intelligence C) behavior D) emotions

C

Whose theory involves the idea of arousal as central to dissonance? A) Fredrickson B) Bem C) Festinger D) Bandura

C

A politician who publicly favors a tax increase, while privately not believing in the tax increase, will most likely experience A) attitude incongruity. B) behavior incompatibility. C) attitude lag. D) cognitive dissonance.

D

A student states that he supports gun ownership by individuals. In speech class, his teacher assigns him to present a persuasive speech on abolishing gun ownership by individuals. After arguing the opposing side, he finds his initially favorable attitude has changed. This can be explained by A) attitude insensitivity. B) the flip-flop phenomenon. C) attitude transience. D) cognitive dissonance theory.

D

According to Daryl Bem's ________________ theory, a person examines their behavior to reveal what their attitude is. A) drive B) cognitive dissonance C) behavior-attitude D) self-perception

D

Self-presentation theory argues that people will adopt attitudes consistent with behaviors in order to A) create negative impressions. B) reduce tension. C) determine how they should behave. D) create good impressions.

D

The overjustification effect can occur as an outgrowth of which of the following theories? A) the drive theory. B) the underjustification theory. C) the social justice theory. D) the self-perception theory.

D

When a person's behavior is incongruent with their attitude and they feel unsettled or disturbed because of it, this is referred to as A) cognitive disequilibrium. B) the comfort-discomfort effect. C) attitude cognizance. D) cognitive dissonance.

D

Dissonance after decisions

Decisions produce dissonance, and when we realize that a choice we made goes against attitudes, dissonance is reduced by upgrading the chosen alternative and downgrading the unchosen one. (ex - college.) This can create overconfidence.

Behavior affects our attitudes: Evil and moral acts

Evil sometimes results from gradually escalating commitments. Sensitivity decreases. We tend to hurt who we dislike, and we also tend to dislike who we hurt. Ex - war, slavery. This also happens with moral beh, esp when no one else is looking. Positive beh fosters liking of a person. Can be seen in interracial beh and racial attitudes - beh can change attitudes, even racial ones. Legislating things, like desegregation and civil rights, increases favor of these things.

When attitudes predict our behavior: specific attitudes

If an attitude is general, it poorly predicts specific behavior. Attidues predict a specific behavior when the attitude is specific.

Behavior affects our attitudes: Social movements

Laws and beh can influence attitudes. This can be dangerous (ex, Nazis). An example is saying the pledge in school. Can be called "brainwashing," resulting from increasing demands.

Overjustification and intrinsic motivations according to self-perception theory

People explain their behavior by noting the conditions under which it occurs. Says unnecessary rewards can have a hidden cost - overjustification effect. An unanticipated reward does not diminish intrinsic interest because ppl can still attribute their actions to their own motivation.

Behavior affects our attitudes: Role-playing

People have roles and roles can become our reality. Stanford's Zambardo prisoner exp (1971), students were assigned to be a guard or a prisoner, and they became their role over time. However, behavior is the product of the situation and individuals and we are not powerless to resist roles - but an unreal role can subtly morph into a real role.

Behavior affects our attitudes: Saying becomes believing

People often adapt what they say to their listeners. Told to give a speech on something they doubt, ppl may feel initially guilty, but come to believe what they say (as long as they aren't bribed or coerced.

Theory of Planned Behavior

Perceived behavioral control and attitudes and subjective norms lead to intentions, which leads to behavior. Perceived behavioral control can also lead directly to behavior.

When attitudes predict our behavior: social influences on behavior are minimal

Situations are important. We can most accurately predict average scores of behavior. - principle of aggregation.

Comparing theories for Behavior's influence on our attitudes

Self-preservation says that actions seem to change attitudes. Dissonance/self-perception says that behavior changes the attitude. All can be correct. Dissonance says that we justify our beh to reduce internal discomfort, while self-perception says that we observe our beh and make reasonable inferences about our attitudes. Dissonance accounts for attitude change, while self-perception accounts for attitude formation. However, some attitude changes occur without dissonance.

self-affirmation theory

States that a) ppl often experience a self-image threat after engaging in an undesirable beh; b) they compensate by affirming an other aspect of the self. If you threaten ppl's self-concept in one domain, they will compensate by refocusing or by doing good in another domain. Justifying our actions, (as in cognitive dissonance) protects the self.

Cognitive dissonance

Tension that arises when one is simultaneously aware of 2 inconsistent cognitions. Ex - we act contrary to our attitudes. To reduce this feeling, we may adjust our attitudes. This theory assumes that to reduce discomfort, we justify our actions to ourselves. One way to minimize dissonance is through selective exposure. This explains insufficient justification. Dissonance is an aroused state of uncomfortable tension. Also, group dissonance.

Principle of aggregation

The effects of an attitude are most apparent when we look at a person's aggregate, or average, behavior than when we look at isolated acts.

Overjustification effect

The result of bribing ppl to do what they already like doing; they may then see their actions as externally controlled rather than intrinsically pleasing.

The foot in the door phenomenon

The tendency for ppl who have first agreed to a small request to later comply with a large request. The initial compliance is voluntary. When they commit to a public beh and perceive those acts to be their own doing, they believe more strongly in what they've done.

Facial feedback effect

The tendency of facial expressions to trigger corresponding emotions, like fear, anger, or happiness. -posture, too.

Selective exposure

The tendency to seek information and media that agree with one's views and to avoid dissonant info.

Why does behavior affect attitudes?

Theories include: Self-presentation (impression management) Self-justification (cognitive dissonance) Self-perception

Self-perception theory

Theory for explaining why behavior influences attitudes. Assumes that our actions are self-revealing: when uncertain about our feelings or beliefs, we look to our behavior, much as anyone else would. When we are unsure of our attitudes, we infer them like someone who observing us would - by looking at our behavior and the circumstances under which it occurred. - Like attribution theory. Can explain facial feedback effect.

Self-presentation, or impression management

This theory explains why behavior affects our attitudes because we are trying to regulate what others think of us. We care about what others think. We don't want to look inconstant, so we express attitudes that match our behavior. This theory is somewhat true, but there's more to it than just this.

When attitudes predict our behavior: Potent attitudes

We can make attitudes more potent by -bringing attitudes to mind (such as in the exp with swimmers and water conservation, making ppl more self aware [perhaps with mirrors]) -Forging strong attitudes through exp (accessible and stable attitudes, formed through exp as opposed to hearsay are more accessible, enduring, and likely to guide actions).

Theory of Reasoned Action

We have attitudes and subjective norms, which lead to intentions, which lead to behavior.

When attitudes predict our behavior: Social influences on what we say are minimal

We only measure our expressed attitudes, which are subject to outside influences. We might say what we think others what to hear. We have implicit attitudes, too. (Related to dual processing). Both implicit and explicit attitudes predict behavior, and together, they predict it more reliably. Attitudes often diverge for attitudes formed early in life, such as racial and gender attitudes.

When do attitudes predict behavior?

When social influences on we say are minimal. When other influences on behavior are minimal. When attitudes specific to the behavior are examined. When attitudes are potent.

Role

a set of norms that defines how ppl in a given social position ought to behave.

emotional contagion

mimicking the facial expressions of those around you to feel the same emotions as others

Insufficient justification

reduction of dissonance by internally justifying one's beh when external justification is insufficient. So, when given more justification for action, attitudes change less. -Festinger exp, with $1 and $20

moral hypocrisy

the disjuncture between attitudes and actions where a person appears moral while avoiding the costs of being so