Chapter 7 - Attitudes and Attitude Change

Question 1

Define attitude

Answer 1

Attitude is an evaluation of people, objects or ideas.

Question 2

Mention three types (also sources) of attitudes.

Answer 2

• Cognitively based attitudes
• Affectively based attitudes
• Behaviorally based attitudes.

Question 3

What is a cognitive based attitude?

Answer 3

An attitude based primarily on people’s beliefs about the properties of an attitude object.

Question 4

What is an affectively based attitude?

Answer 4

An attitude based more on people’s feelings and values than on their beliefs about the nature of an attitude object.

Question 5

What is a behaviorally based attitude?

Answer 5

An attitude based on observations of how one behaves toward an object.

Question 6

Two different types of attitudes based of how conscious we are of them:

Answer 6

• Explicit and Implicit attitudes.

Question 7

Define implicit attitude

Answer 7

Attitudes that are involuntary, uncontrollable, and at times unconscious.

Question 8

What is the elaboration likelihood model?

Answer 8

A model explaining two ways in which persuasive communications can cause attitude change: centrally and peripherally.

Question 9

According to the elaboration likelihood model, what is the central route to persuasion?

Answer 9

The case in which people elaborate on a persuasive communication, listening carefully to and thinking about the arguments, which occurs when people have both the ability and the motivation to listen carefull to a communication.

Question 10

What is the peripheral route to persuasion?

Answer 10

The case in which people do not elaborate on the arguments in a persuasive communication but are instead swayed by peripheral cues.

Question 11

If people need to pay attention to the arguments in order to be persuaded by good arguments, what is the biggest factor - according to Petty, Cacioppo & Goldman (1981) - contributing to people paying attention?

Answer 11

Personal relevance.

Question 12

If you are trying to persuade someone with a series of poor arguments, what are your chances if they are paying attention because of personal relevance?

Answer 12

Your chances are low.

Question 13

If you are trying to persuade someone with a series of good arguments, but you’re unsure if they are paying attention to what you are saying. What is the likelihood of persuasion?

Answer 13

It’s dependant on peripheral cues.

Question 14

Is there a way to predict who would be more likely to be swayed by good arguments on a random topic (aka, no guarantee of personal relevance)?

Answer 14

Yes. The personal variable: need for cognition.

Question 15

What is the “Need for Cognition”?

Answer 15

A personality variable reflecting the extent to which people engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive activites.

Question 16

When does fear-arousing communication work?

Answer 16

When induced fear is moderate, and it is clearly communicated how the reciever can reduce fear.

Question 17

When is fear-arousing communicated not likely to work?

Answer 17

When the induced fear is very strong, and /or there is no information given on how to reduce the fear.

Question 18

How can you make people more resistant to attempts to change their attitudes?

Answer 18

By using attitude inoculation.

Question 19

What is attitude inoculation?

Answer 19

Making people immune to attempts to change their attitudes by initially exposing them to small doses of the arguments against the position.

Question 20

What is the theory of planned behavior?

Answer 20

The idea that people’s intentions are the best predictors of their deliberate behaviors, whcih are determined by their attitudes toward specific behaviors, their subjective norms, and their perceived behavioral control.

Question 21

The theory of planned behavior states that behavioral intention is dependant on their subjective norms, what is meant by this?

Answer 21

People’s beliefs about how other people they care about will view the behavior in question.

Question 22

The theory of planned behavior sees “Perceived behavioral control” as a factor on behavioral intention. What is this?

Answer 22

The ease with which people believe they can perform the behavior.

Question 23

What does the theory of planned behavior really tell us?

Answer 23

Attitudes CAN predict behavior.