Attitudes Flashcards
Define Attitudes
Attitudes are the enduring positive or negative evaluations of people, objects, & ideas
What is Attitude Object?
Whatever it is that we have an attitude about
What are the 3 components that Attitudes are made of?
Attitudes are made of the ABCs!
+Affective: emotional reaction towards the attitude object (feelings)
+Cognitive: belief about the attitude object
+Behavioral: actions taken in respect to object
Attitudes about shopping for a Car example:
- I’m test driving the new Suburu and I am loving it and am so excited about it!
- I bought the car so I MUST love the car!
- I feel good about the safety rating and the gas mileage.
- Affective - I am emotionally reacting to this car
- Behavioral - I took action and bought the car
- Cognitive -I have a belief about the attitude object
What does the following mean:
One component can be stronger in determining attitudes
Though all attitudes have affective, behavioral, and cognitive components, any given attitude can be based more on one type of experience than another.
When I’m at the dealership asking: “How many miles to the gallon? What’s the warranty? Payment?”
What attitude do I have?
Cognitively based attitude - I want to know the relevant Facts.
I’m at the store: “OMG I love how this dress makes me feel. I feel so sexay! The colors are giving me life!”
What attitude do I have?
Affectively based - I’m being really emotional about it and using sensories and aesthetic to decide on purchase.
About how many people (in fraction) know nothing about politicians but have very strong FEELINGS bout the candidates?
2/3 - Americans are fucking stupid
Religion and politics are linked to what? What type of attitude is this connected to?
Religion and politics are closely linked to people’s values, which are affected by affectively-based attitudes.
Why do we feel so strongly about idiotic things (affectively based attitudes)?
Because we need to validate our own values so badly that we express things this way
T o F: Despite the obvious, affective-based attitudes are actually governed by logic
Nope - it’s not governed by logic
Pairing new years with grandma is an example of what?
Classical Conditioning - the learning component of affectively-based attitudes.
“I guess I like him since I’m always around him” is what type of attitude?
This is behaviorally based attitude - similar to self-perception theory
Sam thinks all race are equal; it governs his behaviors – he signs petitions to end segregation.
What type of attitude does he have?
Sam has explicit and conscious attitude about race - it is consciously endorsed and easily reported
Sam grew up in a racist neighborhood, negative feelings are triggered automatically and unconsciously; he doesn’t even realize or understand why this is happening; it drives his behaviors and how he treats someone.
What type of attitude does he have?
Implicit attitudes – unconscious
Attitudes that are involuntary, uncontrollable, & unconscious evaluations
T or F: Attitudes are not easily swayed.
False - Attitudes change as time passes (approval ratings for Bush went up and down based on social influence and other factors)
What can cause attitude changes?
Cognitive dissonance: Attitudes can change due to this; when our external behavior isn’t in line with our behaviors, and we can’t find external justification (who can I blame?!). Then we have to look inward.
Counter-attitudinal advocacy: changing our attitude to justify ourselves
Can work individually, but hard to induce on a mass scale
What is the
Yale Attitude Change Approach
It is a type of persuasive communication to see how people are influenced:
“Who said what to whom”
Who –> who’s giving the message?
What –> what’s the message?
Whom –> the audience
What does the Elaboration Likelihood Model address?
It specifies when people are most likely persuaded and influenced by the superficial characteristics of the message or the true content - it tries to tease out what other influences are there other than the content itself.
What are the 2 ways in which persuasive communication can cause attitude change?
What’s the difference between the two?
Central Route: Strength of arguments itself (content) - requires motivation and attention from listeners
Peripheral Route: Audience is swayed by surface characteristics.
When not motivated, facts of message don’t matter; audience attends to superficial content
+Who gave the speech? Who’s in the advertisement?
Lincoln’s advertisement usage of Matthew McConnhay is what type of persuasion route?
Peripheral Route –> We’re swayed by him other than the facts
When are people most likely to take the Central route of persuasion?
- When something is personally relevant to them
- Ex: Social security benefits are very important to a 70 y.o, but not to a 18 y.o - Need for Cognition: the extent to which people engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive activities
- College students have a high need for cognition; want to understand the world better; some people don’t think at all.
- Persuasion fact depends on quality of argument
The ability to pay attention & understand
Do we understand the message?
Which route is better for long-lasting attitude change?
More long lasting if it occurs through Central Route.
Developing arguments that are personally relevant to people will help people to think through Central Routes
What is the best way to change attitudes through Central route?
In order to get ppl to change attitudes through Central Route is through motivation to pay Attention