Attitudes

Question 1

attitudes vs beliefs»

Answer 1

Attitude= global evaluation towards some object or issue
Beliefs= information about something (can be fact or opinions)

Question 2

Attitude alphabet (ABC) (3)

Answer 2

> 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)

Question 3

2 types of dual attitudes>

Answer 3

• Implicit attitudes= automatic evaluative responses (gut reactions)
• Explicit attitudes= conscious evaluative response

Question 4

how are attitudes formed? (4)

Answer 4

• mere-exposure effect
• maps on impression formation
• classical conditioning
• operant conditioning

Question 5

attitude formation: mere exposure effect> (2)

Answer 5

M-eE= the increase in liking something due to repeated exposure (Zajonc, 1968)
>familar is easy: cognitive meisers & stereotypes

Question 6

attitude fromation: maps on impression formation- exceptions> (2)

Answer 6

• when first impression is one of dislike then repeated exposure will not change the attitude
• we move away from negative things

Question 7

attitude formation: classical conditioning» (2)

Answer 7

classical conditioning= the pairing of unrelated stimuli
>e.g. advertising a product with an attractive model

Question 8

attitude formation: operant conditioning= (2)

Answer 8

• pairing of stimuli & reward/punishments
  >e.g. ordering from McDonalds & getting a toy

Question 9

classical & operant conditioning- result on attitude formation (2)

Answer 9

• can form both explicit & implicit attitudes
• can develop an attitude toward the conditioned stimulus

Question 10

AF: repeated social pairing> representation in the media» (3)

Answer 10

• attitude towards certain people/groups can be influenced by repeated pairing of representation
• e.g. immigrant representation in media
• language we use impacts attitudes

Question 11

Language matters: Hall, Phillips & Townsend (2015) study on perception of those labelled “Black” vs “African-American”> results of note» (4)

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

Language matters: Hall, Phillips & Townsend (2015) study on perception of those labelled “Black” vs “African-American”> overall takeaway (1)

Answer 12

negative content can produce negative attitudes (based on one word difference)

Question 13

Language matters: Hall, Phillips & Townsend (2015) study on perception of those labelled “Black” vs “African-American”> types of studies conducted (4)

Answer 13

• stereotype recall
• profile rating
• news article analysis study
• criminal report

Question 14

Instagram: Digital attitudes & advertising> De Veirman, Cauberghe & Hudders (2016)> findings

Answer 14

• 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”)

Question 15

cognitive dissonance=

Answer 15

when a person holds 2 or more contradictory thoughts, feelings

Question 16

attitudes & cognitive dissonance> concept (1)

Answer 16

• inconsistency/contradiction of attitudes with behaviours causes an uncomfortable sensation

Question 17

impact of attitude& behaviour cognitive dissonance (3)

Answer 17

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)

Question 18

Can our attitudes change because of discomfort?: overjustification effect=

Answer 18

OJE= when an expected external incentive decreases a person’s motivation to perform a task

Question 19

Mind: body problem> Fazio & cooper (1983)= (2)

Answer 19

• 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

Question 20

How to reduce dissonance: stages (3)

Answer 20

The thought contains CD
this can be reduced by:
> Changing one inconsistent cognition
>reducing the perceived dissonance
> reducing perceived control

Question 21

Effort justification= (2)

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Experimental evidence for effort justification: Aronson & Mills (1959)> method

Answer 22

• 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

Question 23

experimental evidence for effort justification: Aronson & Mills (1959)> results

Answer 23

• the high embarrassing condition rated the discussion group more favourably
• change/ differences in perception based on effort

Question 24

experimental evidence for effort justification: Aronson & Mills (1959)> issues with study (1)

Answer 24

• are results due to physiological arousal?

Question 25

Do attitudes predict behaviour: Theory of planned behaviour= (3)

Answer 25

• examines interaction of elements that lead to behaviour change
• elements: attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control> intention> behaviour
• ## produces a feedback loop