Chapter 4 (Behavior and Attitudes) Flashcards
These are
defined as beliefs and feelings
related to a person or an event.
ATTITUDES
Our attitudes do predict our behavior when
these other influences on what we say and
do are ______, when the attitude is ______
to the behavior, and when the attitude is
______.
minimal, specific
, potent
Our attitudes do predict our behavior when
these other influences on what we say and
do are ______, when the attitude is ______
to the behavior, and when the attitude is
______.
minimal, specific
, potent
It is appearing moral while
avoiding the costs of being moral.
Moral Hypocrisy
It is our
often unacknowledged inner beliefs
that may or may not correspond to our explicit (conscious) attitudes.
Implicit (unconscious) attitudes
A computer-driven assessment of implicit attitudes.
Implicit Association Test (IAT)
WHEN DO ATTITUDES PREDICT BEHAVIOR?
- IMPLICIT BIASES ARE PERVASIVE.
- PEOPLE DIFFER IN IMPLICIT BIAS.
- PEOPLE ARE OFTEN UNAWARE OF THEIR IMPLICIT BIASES.
The effects of an attitude become more apparent when we look at a person’s aggregate or average behavior.
Principle of aggregation
Knowing people’s intended behaviors and their perceived self-efficacy and control.
Theory of Planned Behavior
Our attitudes become potent if we
think about them
BRINGING ATTITUDES TO MIND
ATTITUDES ARE WHAT?!?
Hatdog. Potent🤪
Attitudes that predict behavior are
accessible and stable, and those
shaped by experience are more likely to guide actions
FORGING STRONG ATTITUDES
THROUGH EXPERIENCE.
It is borrowed from the theater and refers to actions expected of those who occupy a particular social position.
Role
This study highlighted how people could get absorbed in their roles, with blurred lines between acting and real identity.
The study of Philip Zimbardo at Stanford
University. “Stanford Prison Experiment”
It refers to the idea that when expressing our thoughts to others, we sometimes tailor our words to what we think the others will want to hear, and then come to believe our own words.
Saying becomes believing
This principle also works with immoral acts and moral behavior. It explains how small acts, like telling a “white lie, “ can erode to bigger moral and immoral acts.
attitudes-follow-behavior principle
As people engage in harmful acts, they
often begin to dislike those they harm,
justifying their actions, or often come to
believe that their victims deserve the
harm they inflict
Evil Acts
Actions and attitudes feed into each
other, sometimes leading to moral
numbness, where repeated harmful acts
dull a person’s conscience.
Evil Acts
__________ shape attitudes for the better.
Moral actions
When people act morally by choice, they are
more likely to internalize those values, as
shown in experiments with children resisting
temptations (Jonathan Freedman Experiment,
1965).
Moral Acts
It can reduce
racial prejudice and change racial attitudes
over time.
Positive interracial interactions
May legislate behavior designed
to lead to attitude change on a
mass scale.
Political and social movements
A persuasion tactic that starts with a modest
request, then follows up later with a larger
request, in order to increase the chances of
succeeding with the larger request.
Foot-in-the-door technique
Assumes that for strategic reasons we express attitudes that make us appear consistent.
SELF-PRESENTATION THEORY
Assumes that to reduce discomfort, we justify our actions to ourselves.
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE THEORY
Assumes that our actions are selfrevealing: when uncertain about our feelings or beliefs, we look to our behavior, much as anyone else would.
SELF-PERCEPTION THEORY
It was proposed by Leon Festinger in 1957.
Cognitive Dissonance
Refers to the tendency of individuals to seek out, pay
attention to, or favor information that aligns with their existing beliefs, attitudes, or values while
avoiding
information
that
contradicts or challenges them.
CDT: Selective Exposure
Reduction of dissonance by internally justifying
one’s behavior when external justification is “insufficient.”
CDT: INSUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION
After making important decisions, you can reduce dissonance by upgrading
the chosen alternative and downgrading the unchosen
option.
CDT: DISSONANCE AFTER DECISIONS
Proposed by Daryl Bem, 1972.
People form or infer their attitudes, beliefs, and emotions by observing their own behavior and
the context in which it occurs.
SELF-PERCEPTION THEORY
It assumes that we feel tension, or “dissonance”
, when two of our thoughts or beliefs (“cognitions”) are inconsistent
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
Those induced to make a smiling face felt happier and found cartoons more humorous. Those induced to repeatedly practice happy
(versus sad or angry) expressions may recall more happy memories and find the happy mood lingering (Schnall & Laird, 2003).
EXPRESSIONS AND ATTITUDE
The tendency of facial expressions to trigger
corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, or happiness.
FACIAL FEEDBACK EFFECT
People explain their behavior by noting the conditions under which it occurs. (explain their behavior base on the context or situation)
OVERJUSTIFICATION AND INTRINSIC MOTIVATIONS
The result of bribing people to do what they already like doing; they may then see their actions as externally controlled rather than intrinsically appealing.
OVERJUSTIFICATION EFFECT
Recall that dissonance is, by definition, an aroused state of uncomfortable tension. To reduce that tension, we supposedly change
our attitudes. Self-perception theory says nothing about tension being aroused when our actions
and attitudes are not in harmony.
DISSONANCE AS AROUSAL
Suggests that people are motivated to maintain a positive self-image or a sense of self-integrity. When encountered information or experiences that threaten their self-concept, they engage in selfaffirming activities to restore their self-esteem and self-worth.
SELF-AFFIRMATION THEORY
Dissonance theory successfully explains what happens when we act contrary to clearly defined attitudes: We feel tension, so we adjust our attitudes to reduce it. Dissonance theory, then, explains attitude change. In situations where our attitudes are not well formed, self-perception theory explains attitude formation. As we act and reflect, we develop more readily accessible attitudes to guide our future behavior.
SELF-PERCEIVING WHEN NOT SELF-CONTRADICTING
Dissonance theory successfully explains what happens when we act contrary to clearly defined attitudes: We feel tension, so we adjust our attitudes to reduce it. Dissonance theory, then, explains attitude change. In situations where our attitudes are not well formed, self-perception theory explains attitude formation. As we act and reflect, we develop more readily accessible attitudes to guide our future behavior.
SELF-PERCEIVING WHEN NOT SELF-CONTRADICTING
A brain center that produces automatic reactions, is active in evaluating social stimuli.
amygdala
It underscores how roles can shape
attitudes
and
behaviors,
even
beyond controlled settings.
Stanford Prison Experiment
