Attitudes Flashcards
attitudes vs beliefs»
Attitude= global evaluation towards some object or issue
Beliefs= information about something (can be fact or opinions)
Attitude alphabet (ABC) (3)
> Affective component= feelings or emotions about something (e.g. fear)
Behavioural component= actions taken in a situation (e.g. hide)
Cognitive component= thoughts & knowledge about the object (ignorance/ expertise)
2 types of dual attitudes>
- Implicit attitudes= automatic evaluative responses (gut reactions)
- Explicit attitudes= conscious evaluative response
how are attitudes formed? (4)
- mere-exposure effect
- maps on impression formation
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning
attitude formation: mere exposure effect> (2)
M-eE= the increase in liking something due to repeated exposure (Zajonc, 1968)
>familar is easy: cognitive meisers & stereotypes
attitude fromation: maps on impression formation- exceptions> (2)
- when first impression is one of dislike then repeated exposure will not change the attitude
- we move away from negative things
attitude formation: classical conditioning» (2)
classical conditioning= the pairing of unrelated stimuli
>e.g. advertising a product with an attractive model
attitude formation: operant conditioning= (2)
- pairing of stimuli & reward/punishments
>e.g. ordering from McDonalds & getting a toy
classical & operant conditioning- result on attitude formation (2)
- can form both explicit & implicit attitudes
- can develop an attitude toward the conditioned stimulus
AF: repeated social pairing> representation in the media» (3)
- attitude towards certain people/groups can be influenced by repeated pairing of representation
- e.g. immigrant representation in media
- language we use impacts attitudes
Language matters: Hall, Phillips & Townsend (2015) study on perception of those labelled “Black” vs “African-American”> results of note» (4)
- label “black” signals lower social class & status than A-A
- whites rates a “black” employee to be lower status than A-A employee
- Articles that used “black” (vs A-A) had a more negative emotional tone
- whites perceived a “black” suspect more negatively than an A-A one
Language matters: Hall, Phillips & Townsend (2015) study on perception of those labelled “Black” vs “African-American”> overall takeaway (1)
negative content can produce negative attitudes (based on one word difference)
Language matters: Hall, Phillips & Townsend (2015) study on perception of those labelled “Black” vs “African-American”> types of studies conducted (4)
- stereotype recall
- profile rating
- news article analysis study
- criminal report
Instagram: Digital attitudes & advertising> De Veirman, Cauberghe & Hudders (2016)> findings
- influencers with high follower count are found more LIKEABLE
- popularity increased the influencer’s perceived LEADERSHIP
- the FEWER accounts the influencer follows can NEGATIVELY affect their likeability
- influencers with HIGH no of followers might be bad marketing choice for promoting DIVERGENT products (as decreases brand’s perceived “uniqueness”)
cognitive dissonance=
when a person holds 2 or more contradictory thoughts, feelings
attitudes & cognitive dissonance> concept (1)
- inconsistency/contradiction of attitudes with behaviours causes an uncomfortable sensation
impact of attitude& behaviour cognitive dissonance (3)
we:
>end up rationalising our behaviour
>bring our attitudes in line with current actions
>engage in selective exposure: (avoid info that would create cognitive dissonance as it is incompatible with beliefs)
Can our attitudes change because of discomfort?: overjustification effect=
OJE= when an expected external incentive decreases a person’s motivation to perform a task
Mind: body problem> Fazio & cooper (1983)= (2)
- proposed that dissonance requires interpretation of arousal as negative affect caused by counter attitudinal behaviour
- stages: behaviour> unwanted negative consequence> personal responsibility> physiological arousal> attribution of arousal to behaviour> attitude change
How to reduce dissonance: stages (3)
The thought contains CD
this can be reduced by:
> Changing one inconsistent cognition
>reducing the perceived dissonance
> reducing perceived control
Effort justification= (2)
people seek to justify & rationalise any suffering or effort they have made
>person’s tendency to attribute a value to an outcome which they put effort into achieving as GREATER than the objective value of the outcome
Experimental evidence for effort justification: Aronson & Mills (1959)> method
- invited young women to group to discuss sex
- to enter group had to either: (a) pass an ‘embarrassment test’ intiation (read exotic material aloud); or (b) listen to a dull recording about animal mating
experimental evidence for effort justification: Aronson & Mills (1959)> results
- the high embarrassing condition rated the discussion group more favourably
- change/ differences in perception based on effort
experimental evidence for effort justification: Aronson & Mills (1959)> issues with study (1)
- are results due to physiological arousal?
