Attitudes and Attitude Change Flashcards
When discussing some of the topics that were covered in yesterday’s social psychology class, Robert tells Renee that he thinks it’s true that people learn about their own attitudes and emotions in the same way they draw conclusions about the attitudes and emotions of other people – that is, by observing outward behaviors and the situations in which those behaviors occur. Robert’s statement is consistent with which of the following?
A. self-perception theory
B. social judgment theory
C. cognitive dissonance theory
D. balance theory
Answer A is correct. Self-perception theory (Bem, 1972) proposes that people infer how they’re feeling and thinking by observing their own behaviors and the circumstances in which those behaviors occur.
Ajzen and Fishbein’s (2005) theory of planned behavior predicts that which of the following is affected by a person’s attitude toward a behavior, what the person thinks others believe he/she should do, and the person’s confidence in his/her ability to perform the behavior?
A. resistance to persuasion
B. level of cognitive dissonance
C. freedom of choice
D. behavior intention
Answer D is correct. According to the theory of planned behavior, the three conditions listed in this question are the major contributors to a person’s behavior intention which, in turn, determines whether or not the person will actually perform the behavior.
Lola has just received text messages from both Alfred and Alphonse, asking her to the junior prom. Lola likes both of them very much and has a hard time deciding which one to choose. After choosing Alphonse, Lola decides that she really doesn’t like Alfred all that much. The change in Lola’s feelings toward Alfred is best explained by which of the following?
A. elaboration likelihood model
B. self-serving bias
C. attitude inoculation
D. cognitive dissonance theory
Answer D is correct. Festinger’s (1954) cognitive dissonance theory proposes that, when people have inconsistencies between two attitudes or between an attitude and behavior, they experience a state of mental discomfort (“cognitive dissonance”) that they’re motivated to relieve by changing an attitude or behavior. To reduce the dissonance Lola experienced by not choosing Alfred, she changed her attitude toward him.
According to Heider’s (1958) balance theory, the relationships among which of the following can be either balanced or unbalanced?
A. attitudes, behaviors, and cognitions
B. a person, another person, and an attitude object
C. behavior intention, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control
D. a person, place, and thing
Answer B is correct. Heider’s balance theory is also known as P-O-X theory because it focuses on the relationships among three elements: the person (P), another person (O), and an attitude object or event (X).
Social judgment theory (Sherif & Hovland, 1961) distinguishes between:
A. central and peripheral processing routes.
B. latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment.
C. alpha and omega strategies.
D. congruent and incongruent states
Answer B is correct. Social judgment theory distinguishes between latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment, which represent different degrees of similarity between a person’s current position and the position advocated by a persuasive message.
The elaboration likelihood model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1981) distinguishes between:
A. central and peripheral processing routes.
B. latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment.
C. alpha and omega strategies.
D. congruent and incongruent states.
Answer A is correct. According to the elaboration likelihood model, a persuasive message can be processed through the central route or the peripheral route.
