ASP: Attitudes and Attitude change Flashcards
Fishbein & Ajzen’s 1975 definition of an attitude:
A learned disposition to respond favourably (engage with it) or unfavourably (avoid it) to an object.
Eagly & Chaiken’s (1993) definition of an attitude:
A psychological tendency to evaluate something with favour or disfavour. Does not include learning element in definition like Fishbein and Ajzen’s (1975) definition.
3 common features of attitudes
1) They are motivating forces - they make us do things
2) Relatively enduring (not like mood states that only last a few minutes but different from traits too in that they don’t usually last a lifetime)
3) Evaluative in nature (describe something as either good or bad or neutral)
What functions do attitudes serve?
4 key functions identified (Katz, 1960)
- Utilitarian
- Knowledge
- Ego-defensive
- Value expressive
Utilitarian function
Attitudes help us to our goals (help guide behaviour).
- cued by social need
- changed by changing goal
Economy or knowledge function
Attitudes help summarise information
- cued by cognitive problem
- changed by new information
Expressive or self-realising function
Attitudes help express a suitable social image (wanting to present self in a certain way)
- cued by appeals to self-image
- changed by reevaluation of basic values
Ego-defensive function
Attitudes help to cope with intolerable thoughts (cover up something psychologically uncomfortable)
- cued by threats to security
- changed by removing threat
Fishbein and Ajzen (1977) said attitudes are held and behaviours are performed with respect to the Principle of Correspondence (TACT)
- Target at which action directed eg: teeth
- Action being performed eg: brushing teeth
- Context in which the action is performed eg: bathroom
- Time during which the action is performed eg: morning and evening
Models relating attitudes and behaviour
- Summative model
- intention as mediator
- social influences
- going beyond volitional behaviours
Affective attitudes
Pleasant/unpleasant
Cognitive attitudes
Useful/non useful
Injunctive norms
What others think you should do
Descriptive norms
What others do
Aspects of PBC
Perceived behavioural control includes sub-components, perceived confidence (that can perform action) and perceived control (less predictive).
Theory of planned behaviour
Suggests attitudes towards behaviour do not directly influence behaviour but do so through informing our intentions to act. Intentions are also determined by two other factors: subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. The TPB suggests that attitudes are just one of 3 key determinants of behaviour.
MODE model
The Motivation and Opportunity DEtermines processing model, put forward by Fazio (1990) - describes how attitudes can influence behaviour either in an automatic way (spontaneous mode) or through deliberate thought (controlled mode).
Who created cognitive dissonance theory?
Festinger (1957)
What is cognitive dissonance theory?
The feeling of discomfort that arises due to having to act in a way inconsistent with one’s attitudes. This leads the individual to change their attitudes in order to bring them more in line with their behaviours.
Grasshopper study (Zimbardo et al, 1965)
More attitude change towards eating grasshoppers was observed if no monetary reward (of 50 cents) for eating grasshoppers was offered and the communicator persuading them was more negative (shouting rather than pleading). This suggests people are more likely to experience cognitive dissonance and be motivated to change their attitudes if there is insufficient justification (IJ) for an action.
Festinger and Carlsmith (1959)
Re-arranging spoons study. $20 vs $1 reward for telling another participant that it was interesting. Participants reported greater liking of the task when they were given $1 suggesting attitude changes the most when insufficient justification for acting in a certain way.
3 necessary steps for cognitive dissonance attitude change:
1) Perceived negative consequences for behaviour and no justification for doing it (Festinger & Carlsmith, 1959).
2) Personal responsibility taken for the behaviour (freedom of choice) (Linder et al., 1967)
3) Person needs to feel negative arousal and attribute it to attitude-discrepant behaviour (Zanna & Cooper, 1974) - ie: must have some investment in action.
What is the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
Put forward by Petty and Caccioppo (1986) to explain attitude change in response to a persuasive message. Attitude change depends on extent individual motivated and able to elaborate (systematically process information). Lots of elaboration = central route processing. Little elaboration = peripheral route processing. Central and peripheral routes. V similar to heuristic-systematic model.
When will peripheral route processing lead to attitude change?
When a peripheral cue is present eg: advice from an expert or lots of arguments present.
