attitudes

Question 1

what are attitudes?

Answer 1

prejudice, interpersonal attraction, self-esteem

Question 2

measuring attitudes by self-report

Answer 2

interviews/focus groups/attitude scales e.g. Likert scale (1-7)/semantic differentials

Question 3

measuring attitudes covertly

Answer 3

• behavioural measures: observation e.g. seating distance
• affective measures: implicit association test
• physiological measures: pupillary response, facial electromyography (what facial muscles move when smile/frown)

Question 4

correlation between implicit and explicit attitudes

Answer 4

different studies found different results:

• 0.24 correlation
• no correlation, manips to increase pos/neg associations with objects only affected implicit
• models representing explicit and implicit attitudes are related but them as 2 distinct constructs best fit the data
• higher correlation between implicit and explicit attitude measures when extraneous differences in 2 measures reduced

Question 5

mere-exposure effect

Answer 5

-develop positive feelings towards more familiar objects

Question 6

evaluative conditioning

Answer 6

-when people repeatedly exposed to neutral stimulus with an affective stimulus - evaluation of neutral becomes similar to that of affective e.g. neutral with positive stimulus –> positive attitude

Question 7

self-perception

Answer 7

facial feedback hypothesis - facial activity can influence affective responses e.g. smiling can make something seem funnier

Question 8

why do we have attitudes?

Answer 8

• utilitarian/instrumental function
• ego-defensive function
• value-expressive function
• knowledge/cognitive economy function

Question 9

utilitarian/instrumental function

Answer 9

we are motivated to obtain rewards and avoid punishment so develop positive attitudes to things that help obtain rewards and negative to things that cause punishment or prevent achieving goals

Question 10

ego-defensive function

Answer 10

attitudes help protect our self-image e.g. from threats

Question 11

value-expressive function

Answer 11

help us to express values that are integral to our self-concept

Question 12

knowledge/cognitive economy function

Answer 12

attitudes act as schemas e.g. help us organise info and give sense of predictability in our complex social world
-‘i like fruit, oranges are a fruit so i should try them’

Question 13

what is attitude change?

Answer 13

the modification of an individual’s general evaluative perception of a stimulus

Question 14

what is persuasion?

Answer 14

deliberate attempt to change someone’s attitude through info

Question 15

how can we change people’s attitudes?

Answer 15

• communication

- changing behaviour e.g. cognitive dissonance theory

Question 16

communication

Answer 16

e. g. adverts, arguments
- attractive people are more persuasive
- fear appeals
- elaboration-likelihood model: range of factors that aid motivation and ability to engage in high effort central route e.g. if they have the time to process the message they are more likely to be persuaded

Question 17

cognitive dissonance theory

Answer 17

• when 2 or more of our cognitions are inconsistent we experience unpleasant state of psychological tension (cognitive dissonance)
• may happen when we are aware we’ve behaved in a way that is inconsistent with our attitudes
• if we can’t explain discrepancy, may attempt to reduce dissonance by changing one or more of the inconsistent cognitions
• change in attitude to match behaviour more likely to happen when freedom of choice, we engage in effort justification

Question 18

which 2 theories predict that behaviour causes attitudes?

Answer 18

self-perception theory and cognitive dissonance