4: Behavior and Attitudes Flashcards
feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond favorably or unfavorably to objects, people, and events
attitudes
presenting a moral outlook while avoiding the costs of doing so - disconnect between expressed attitudes and behaviors (ex. saying racist language upsets you but acting indifferent when actually exposed to it)
moral hypocrisy
the most widely used measure of implicit attitudes - uses reaction times to measure how quickly people associate concepts with one another, with faster pairing indicating stronger unconscious association
implicit association test (IAT)
idea that the effects of an individual’s attitudes become more apparent when looking at their behavior on average, rather than in specific occurrences (ex. one’s views on Christianity don’t predict whether they’ll go to church this week, but will predict how much they go to church on average)
principle of aggregation
a set of behavioral norms expected of those who occupy a particular social position
role
tension that arises when one is simultaneously aware of two inconsistent cognitions - discomfort from holding two thoughts/beliefs that are inconsistent with one another - explains attitude change
cognitive dissonance
the tendency to seek information and media that agree with one’s views and to avoid dissonant information
selective exposure
reduction of dissonance by internally justifying one’s behavior when unable to justify it by external means
insufficient justification
theory that when we are unsure of our attitudes, we infer them by observing ourselves, evaluating our behavior and the circumstances under which it occurs - explains attitude formation
self-perception theory
the tendency of facial expressions to trigger corresponding feelings (anger, fear, happiness)
facial feedback effect
the result of bribing people to do what they already like doing - they may come to believe they only do this for extrinsic reasons (ex. payment) and not for their true, intrinsic enjoyment (turning “fun” into “work”)
overjustification effect
theory that people often experience a self-image threat after engaging in an undesirable behavior and can compensate by affirming another aspect of themselves - protecting our sense of integrity and self-worth
self-affirmation theory
theory that, for strategic reasons, we express attitudes that make us appear consistent / match our actions
self-presentation theory
3 dimensions (ABC’s) of attitudes - affect (feelings), behavior (tendencies), and cognition (thoughts)
Tripartite Model of Attitudes
learning process that occurs between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus (unconscious/involuntary)
classical conditioning
learning that occurs through inflicting rewards and punishments for behavior, through either addition or removal of a stimulus
operant conditioning
introducing a pleasant stimulus after a desirable behavior
positive reinforcement
removing an unpleasant stimulus after a desirable behavior
negative reinforcement
idea that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived efficacy/control lead to one’s behavioral intentions, which guide their actual behavior
theory of planned behavior
belief in the changeability of traits, abilities or attributes (intelligence, personality, weight, etc.) - linked with greater personal/academic success, increased well-being
growth mindset
belief in limited capacity for learning/growing in certain traits, abilities, or attributes - fear of failure, avoidance of effort, difficulty accepting feedback, worsened well-being
fixed mindset
