Chapter 6 Flashcards
The attitude-behavior relationship: a brief history
There was a general agreement among early social psychologists that human behavior
was guided by social attitudes
By the late 1960s, at least 45 studies had been reported, many of them laboratory
experiments in which researchers had found virtually no relationship between
measures of verbal attitudes and observations of actual behavior deemed to be
relevant to these attitudes
o Many of these studies tried to relate attitudes of white Americans towards
African Americans to some specific behavior towards and African American
individual, who was usually a confederate of the experimenter
Ajzen and Fishbein proposed that the important question was not whether attitudes
were related to behavior, but when they were related
o Principle of compatibility: Measures of attitudes will only be related to
measures of behavior if both constructs are assessed at the same level of
generality.
Works both ways; if we are interested in predicting specific behavior,
attitude measures would be compatible if they assessed the attitude
towards performing the specific behavior
o Since attitudes towards a racial group only specify the target, one cannot
expect any single behavior to be related to this attitude
There is evidence that aggregate behavior indices correlate highly with global
measures of attitudes
o E.g. attitude toward health maintenance is unrelated to most individual
behaviors, but highly related to an aggregate measure across all health
behaviors
Ajzen and Fishbein proposed that
the important question was not whether attitudes
were related to behavior, but when they were related
o Principle of compatibility: Measures of attitudes will only be related to
measures of behavior if both constructs are assessed at the same level of
generality.
- Works both ways; if we are interested in predicting specific behavior,
attitude measures would be compatible if they assessed the attitude
towards performing the specific behavior
o Since attitudes towards a racial group only specify the target, one cannot
expect any single behavior to be related to this attitude
Principle of compatibility
Measures of attitudes will only be related to
measures of behavior if both constructs are assessed at the same level of
generality.
Works both ways; if we are interested in predicting specific behavior,
attitude measures would be compatible if they assessed the attitude
towards performing the specific behavior
The standard model
The theory of reasoned action and the extension of that theory, the theory of planned
behavior (TPB) both predict behavioral intentions and assume that the impact of
attitudes and other components on behavior is mediated by the intention to perform
that behavior
The intention to perform a specific behavior is determined by a person’s attitude
towards that behavior and by subjective norms (normative beliefs and motivation to
comply)
Usually a given attitude is determined by a very limited number of salient beliefs
Sheppard, Hartwick, and Warshaw argued that the theory of reasoned action primarily
applies to behaviors and not goals that result from that behavior, because the
achievement of goals usually depends on other factors in addition to the individual’s
behavior
o Availability of resources
o Willingness of other people to cooperate
Perceived behavioral control: The fact that people often fail to act on their intentions
because they lack the ability, resources, or willpower to do so.
o Some behaviors are more controllable than others
o Perceived behavioral control affects behavior indirectly through intentions, but
can also have a direct link to behavior that is not mediated by intentions
It depends on the accuracy of the individual’s perception of behavioral
control
subjective norms
normative beliefs and motivation to
comply
Sheppard, Hartwick, and Warshaw argued that
the theory of reasoned action primarily
applies to behaviors and not goals that result from that behavior, because the
achievement of goals usually depends on other factors in addition to the individual’s
behavior
o Availability of resources
o Willingness of other people to cooperate
Perceived behavioral control:
The fact that people often fail to act on their intentions
because they lack the ability, resources, or willpower to do so.
o Some behaviors are more controllable than others
o Perceived behavioral control affects behavior indirectly through intentions, but
can also have a direct link to behavior that is not mediated by intentions
- It depends on the accuracy of the individual’s perception of behavioral
control
Extending the standard model
It is possible to improve predictions through the inclusion of specific determinants of
intentions that are likely to influence behavior in specific domains
o Identity-related function of a particular behavior
Adding a measure of identity similarity to the assessment of standard TPB variables
improved predictions of intentions
Identity similarity should influence buying behavior mainly for products that can serve
identity-related goals of consumers, but not for products serving purely utilitarian
functions
Narrowing the intention-behavior gap: forming implementation intentions
Implementation intentions are more specific goals than behavioral intentions
One reason why people fail to act on their intentions is because they simply “forget”
to act when the opportunity arises
By specifying the time and situational context in which behavior should be performed,
the mental representation of the specified situational context cues becomes activated
and highly accessible, making sure that people remember their intention hen they
encounter the situation in which they planned to act
The formation of an implementation intention will create the association between the
situational cues and the response that is instrumental for obtaining the goal
In contrast to approach goals, where individuals at risk of failing to perform an
intended action have to be reminded to get going, with avoidance goals people have
to be reminded to suppress an unwanted response
Strategies for implementation intentions:
1. Identify situations in which the risk of yielding to the targeted temptation is
particularly high
2. Think of a coping response that is likely to be effective in helping them resist
3. Cognitively rehearse linking the coping response to the situation
Strategies for implementation intentions:
- Identify situations in which the risk of yielding to the targeted temptation is
particularly high - Think of a coping response that is likely to be effective in helping them resist
- Cognitively rehearse linking the coping response to the situation
Automatic processes:
Processes that occur without intention, effort, or awareness and
do not interfere with other concurrent cognitive processes
Automatic and deliberate influence of attitudes
One would expect implicit measures of attitudes to predict behavior better than
explicit measures when individuals are either not motivated or unable to exert control
Explicit measures of attitudes should do better when individuals are able and
motivated to exert control over their behavior
Nonverbal behaviors displayed while interacting with a black or white interviewer
correlated with implicit but not explicit measures of prejudice
Domains where implicit attitude measures diverge from explicit measures:
o Prejudice
o Dieting
o Choice between generic and branded products
It makes sense from the perspective of stimulating sales to display chocolates and
other tempting goods at locations where people have little time or cognitive resources
to control their choice
If supermarkets want to sell their own brands rather than products from well-known
brands, they should display them as far as possible from the exit, in areas where
people are still leisurely shopping rather than being on the way to the exist
o Displaying their brands easily visible on the shelf directly below (or above) the
competing product line with the prices of both sets of products shown clearly
o Packaging of their own brands should look as similar as the law allows to that
of the well-known brand
Domains where implicit attitude measures diverge from explicit measures:
o Prejudice
o Dieting
o Choice between generic and branded products
Automatic and deliberate influence of social norms
Norms: Knowledge-based beliefs shaped by social influence and triggered by
situational cues.
o If-then rules
Many norms are tied to physical environments
o Environments only trigger norm-related behavior if they are of behavioral
relevance to the individual
Although advertisements also frequently appeal to norms, these appeals are typically
quite explicit
More subtle norm primes are used in shopping environments
Norms:
Knowledge-based beliefs shaped by social influence and triggered by
situational cues.
o If-then rules