ASP: Attitudes and Attitude change

Question 1

Fishbein & Ajzen’s 1975 definition of an attitude:

Answer 1

A learned disposition to respond favourably (engage with it) or unfavourably (avoid it) to an object.

Question 2

Eagly & Chaiken’s (1993) definition of an attitude:

Answer 2

A psychological tendency to evaluate something with favour or disfavour. Does not include learning element in definition like Fishbein and Ajzen’s (1975) definition.

Question 3

3 common features of attitudes

Answer 3

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)

Question 4

What functions do attitudes serve?

Answer 4

4 key functions identified (Katz, 1960)

• Utilitarian
• Knowledge
• Ego-defensive
• Value expressive

Question 5

Utilitarian function

Answer 5

Attitudes help us to our goals (help guide behaviour).

• cued by social need
• changed by changing goal

Question 6

Economy or knowledge function

Answer 6

Attitudes help summarise information

• cued by cognitive problem
• changed by new information

Question 7

Expressive or self-realising function

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Ego-defensive function

Answer 8

Attitudes help to cope with intolerable thoughts (cover up something psychologically uncomfortable)

• cued by threats to security
• changed by removing threat

Question 9

Fishbein and Ajzen (1977) said attitudes are held and behaviours are performed with respect to the Principle of Correspondence (TACT)

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

Models relating attitudes and behaviour

Answer 10

• Summative model
• intention as mediator
• social influences
• going beyond volitional behaviours

Question 11

Affective attitudes

Answer 11

Pleasant/unpleasant

Question 12

Cognitive attitudes

Answer 12

Useful/non useful

Question 13

Injunctive norms

Answer 13

What others think you should do

Question 14

Descriptive norms

Answer 14

What others do

Question 15

Aspects of PBC

Answer 15

Perceived behavioural control includes sub-components, perceived confidence (that can perform action) and perceived control (less predictive).

Question 16

Theory of planned behaviour

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

MODE model

Answer 17

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).

Question 18

Who created cognitive dissonance theory?

Answer 18

Festinger (1957)

Question 19

What is cognitive dissonance theory?

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

Grasshopper study (Zimbardo et al, 1965)

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Festinger and Carlsmith (1959)

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

3 necessary steps for cognitive dissonance attitude change:

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

What is the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

When will peripheral route processing lead to attitude change?

Answer 24

When a peripheral cue is present eg: advice from an expert or lots of arguments present.

Question 25

Simple rules/decision making heuristics (Chaiken, 1980):

Answer 25

• Expertise = accuracy
• Consensus = correctness
• Length = strength

Question 26

7 propositions of ELM (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986):

Answer 26

1) Underlying motivation
2) Variations in elaboration
3) Three methods of influence
4) Objective elaboration
5) Biased elaboration
6) Trade-off between 2 processes
7) Consequences of elaboration