Attitudes and Attitude Change Flashcards
define attitude
a general feeling or evaluation (positive or negative) about some person, object or issue
what is the three component model proposed by Rosenberg & Hovland (1960) that explains what attitudes consist of?
ACB components
A - affective
C - cognitive
B - behavioural
explain the affective component (Rosenberg & Hovland, 1960)
attitude consists of expressions of feelings towards an attitude object
e.g.: thought of eating meat makes me FEEL sick
explain the cognitive component (Rosenberg & Hovland, 1960)
attitude consists of beliefs about an attitude object
e.g.: I BELIEVE it is unhealthy and wrong to eat meat
explain the behavioural component (Rosenberg & Hovland, 1960)
attitude consists of overt/verbal statements concerning behaviour
e.g.: I will only eat vegetarian
what two dimensions can attitudes be?
1/ simple dimension
2/ complex dimensions
what happens to attitudes when they are complex and evaluated consistently?
- become stronger
- more extreme (positive or negative)
what happens to attitudes if they are complex and evaluated inconsistently?
- become weaker as they become more complex
what are the function of attitudes?
(Katz, 1960)
1/ knowledge function
2/ utilitarian function
3/ ego-defensive
4/ value expressive
explain knowledge function
- attitudes used as a way of understanding world we live in
- having different attitudes/feelings can provide sense of meaning and cohesion
explain utilitarian function
- attitude used to help achieve positive outcome and avoid negative ones
- in particular group there may be particular attitudes towards particular things
- having that particular attitude toward thing can mean no punishment/rejection from group
- positive way to act in group
explain ego-defensive
- attitude used to protect one’s self-esteem from the world
- if you are able to explain world in way it makes sense to you, feel good in your group –> this impacts self-esteem
- if you believe good things and have positive attitude it will make you feel good
explain value expressive
- attitude used to express one’s core values and self-concept
- used to voice particular values
- can be a view into our world
- enables us to understand the world
where do attitudes come from?
Identify some explanations
- mere exposure effect
- attitudes learnt from others (social learning):
classical conditioning, instrumental behaviour - self-perception theory
explain the mere exposure effect
(Robert Zajonc, 1968)
idea that repeated exposure to stimuli = having more favourable attitudes toward that stimuli (Zajonc, 2001)
outline a study into the mere exposure effect
(Harrison and Zajonc, 1970)
- exposed ppts to novel words repeatedly (25 times)
- found exposure to that novel word = related to increased perception that they felt more favourable towards that particular word
explain attitudes learnt from others (social learning): classical conditioning
- idea that repeat association between objects that are not related can elicit a positive attitude due to the positive association of one of the objects
- e.g.: Pavlov’s dogs developed positive attitude towards the bell after it being associated with food
- related to attitude, a positive association of one thing that when associated with something else elicits a positive attitude towards that thing (e.g.: celebrity endorsements)
explain attitudes learnt from others (social learning): instrumental conditioning
- idea that if behaviour is followed by a positive consequence, behaviour is more likely to be repeated
- behaviour that is followed by negative consequence is less likely to be repeated
outline study into explain attitudes learnt from others (social learning): instrumental conditioning
(Insko, 1965)
- ppts were rung up and asked their attitude towards particular topic
- whatever ppts said, experimenter either gave positive or negative feedback
- found that ppts reported more favourable attitudes towards topic if they had received positive feedback
explain self-perception theory
- idea that we infer attitudes from our own behaviours
- how we behave, we believe is who we are
- e.g.: I read at least one novel a week –> therefore I must enjoy reading novels
identify some ways that attitudes are measured/revealed?
- self - report and experimental paradigms
- physiological measures
- measures of overt behaviour
what are some examples of self-report and experimental paradigms?
- attitude scales
- implicit association task
(looks at unconscious attitudes and biases)
what are some examples of physiological measures?
- skin resistance
- heart rate
- pupil dilation
how these react to particular stimuli
what are some examples of measuring overt behaviour?
- frequency of behaviour
- trends and preferences over various objects
- non-verbal behaviour
why is it important to study attitudes?
- attitudes predict behaviour
- understanding core of self-concept
outline LaPiere (1934) famous study on racial prejudice
- involved Chinese couple visited over 250 restaurants, coffee shops, hotels
- they received service 95% of the time without hesitation
- each place of hospitality received a letter asking if they would accept members of Chinese race
- 92% responded that they would not
- shows mismatch between the intention and the behaviour (maybe attitude doesn’t always predict behaviour)
identify things that impact how well attitudes predict behaviour
- how strong the attitude is
- whether attitude is formed through direct exposure
- how attitude is measured
explain ‘how strong the attitude is’ impacts how well attitude predicts behaviour
- if attitude is complex and consistent = strongest type of attitude –> this would predict behaviour
- if attitude is complex and inconsistent = moderate type of attitude
explain how ‘whether attitude is formed through direct exposure’ impacts how well attitude predicts behaviour
- shown that direct experience of something leads to a strong attitude (which will ultimately predict behaviour)
explain how ‘how attitude is measured’ impacts how well attitude predicts behaviour
- how specific the questions about topic are
- how we ask the question can predict behaviour
- if we are very specific, may get stronger connection between attitude and behaviour
what is the theory of planned behaviour?
- theory proposes people make decisions as a result of rational thought processes
- behaviour is influenced by intention
- intention = good indicator of behaviour
- intention is influenced by 3 things:
- attitude toward behaviour (+ or -)
- subjective norm (social expectation around object)
- perceived behavioural norm (internal - how you feel in yourself when in control, or external - whether you feel others are controlling your life)
- perceived control has direct effect on behaviour
- components can interact and control your behaviour
what is cognitive dissonance?
(Festinger, 1957)
where we have unpleasant state or tension when we have 2 or more conditions/thoughts that do not fit together
how do we reduce the dissonance from cognitive dissonance?
- counter-attitudinal behaviour
changing one of the components
feel the discomfort/dissonance - strive to reduce dissonance
reduce the dissonance by changing inconsistent cognition
Outline Festinger (1957) study into cognitive dissonance?
- had ppts complete series of counting task with dice
- task = very boring
- told ppts to lie and tell next ppt that task = very fun
- three groups of conditions
- one group got no money to lie
- one group got $1 to lie
- one group got $20 to lie
- then asked what they truly thought of experiment
what are the findings of Festinger (1957) study into cognitive dissonance?
- those given $20 said they felt ok with lying
- being paid $20 provides reason for lying and doing task so no dissonance is experienced
- those given no money said that task was boring
- those given $1 experiences dissonance and said the task was truly enjoyable
- $1 is not incentive enough to lie
- group experience dissonance so when they lied and said they enjoyed it, they started to believe it themselves
- attitude towards task = changed
how is dissonance reduced?
strategy 1 = reduce importance
e.g.: i know lots of people who smoke and they haven’t got lung cancer
strategy 2 = add element
e.g.: i need to smoke or the stress i’ll suffer will be unhealthy
strategy 3 = change one element
e.g.: i’ll stop smoking
identify two dual-process models of persuasion
1/ Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
2/ Heuristic-systematic Model
explain the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion
(Petty & Cacioppo, 1986)
proposes there are two routes of thought processes
1 - central route
- follow message closely
- very analytical
- try to read what person is saying in that argument
- required high effort
- leads to enduring change
2 - peripheral route
- where the argument itself is not listened to
- more so the cues around the article
- such as attraction
- requires very low effort
- leads to temporary changes
explain the heuristic-systematic model of persuasion
(Chaiken, 1980)
proposes two pathways of processing
1 - systematic processing
- follows message of argument carefully
- scans for available arguments
2 - heuristic processing
- looks for mental shortcuts
- i.e.: stats don’t lie
identify a difference between the ELM and HSM models of persuasion processing
- ELM argues pathways are independent; you either look in depth of focus more on attraction
- HSM argues pathways can happen together
Identify real life ways where persuasion is used to change attitudes
- political campaigns
- advertising/sales
- encouraging socially valuable behaviours
- volunteering
organ donation
