Lecture 15 - La Piere Flashcards
What was Richard T. LaPiere’s primary field of study?
Richard T. LaPiere was a sociologist known for his research on attitudes and behavior.
How did Richard T. LaPiere define social attitudes?
LaPiere defined social attitudes as behavior patterns exhibited in response to designated social situations, rather than just opinions or beliefs.
Why did LaPiere disagree with using questionnaires to measure attitudes?
LaPiere believed that questionnaires assumed a simple link between verbal responses (symbolic) and actual behavior (non-symbolic), which had not been proven.
What racial issues were prevalent in the U.S. during the 1930s, which influenced LaPiere’s study?
During the 1930s, Chinese immigration was restricted, Chinese people faced discrimination (banned from landownership, marriage restrictions, and negative stereotypes), and racism was rampant.
How did LaPiere conduct his 1930s study on attitudes toward Chinese people?
LaPiere traveled with a young Chinese couple, visiting 251 establishments across the U.S. to observe their treatment and later sent a questionnaire to these establishments asking if they would accept Chinese guests.
What was the major discrepancy between LaPiere’s observations and the survey responses?
Despite receiving responses indicating that the majority of establishments would not accept Chinese guests (118 “No” responses), LaPiere’s group was only refused service once, suggesting a difference between attitudes and actual behavior.
What was LaPiere’s conclusion about the relationship between attitudes and behavior?
LaPiere concluded that attitudes, as measured by surveys, did not accurately predict behavior. People’s actions were less prejudiced than their verbal responses suggested.
What were some criticisms of LaPiere’s study?
Critics pointed out that the gap between the survey and observed behaviors might be due to the six-month delay, different respondents (owners vs. clerks), and the influence of LaPiere’s presence during some visits.
What were the conceptual issues in LaPiere’s attitude-behavior study?
Issues included the difference between verbal attitudes and observed behaviors, and whether LaPiere’s survey truly measured attitudes. The questions may not have captured the complexity of people’s behavior and intentions.
What ethical concerns arose from LaPiere’s study?
The study lacked informed consent from both the Chinese couple and the service providers, raising questions about the ethics of observing behavior without informing participants.
How did LaPiere’s study impact future research on attitudes and behavior?
LaPiere’s study led to more research on the relationship between attitudes and behavior, highlighting the complexity of this relationship and the need for more precise methods to measure both.
What did Wicker (1969) find about the relationship between attitudes and behavior?
Wicker found that the average correlation between attitudes and behavior was very low (r ≈ 0.15), reinforcing LaPiere’s view that attitudes do not directly predict behavior.
What is the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975)?
This theory proposes that behavior is determined by a person’s intention, which is influenced by their attitudes and subjective norms.
What is the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen & Madden, 1986)?
This theory extends the Theory of Reasoned Action by including perceived behavioral control, which refers to a person’s perception of their ability to perform a behavior.
What is the Principle of Compatibility in measuring attitudes and behavior?
It states that attitudes and behavior should be measured at the same level of specificity (e.g., asking about general attitudes vs. specific behaviors).
What is the difference between explicit and implicit attitudes?
Explicit attitudes are consciously controlled and can be measured directly (e.g., surveys), while implicit attitudes are unconscious and measured indirectly (e.g., through the Implicit Association Test, IAT).
What was LaPiere’s key message about the relationship between attitudes and behavior?
LaPiere’s key message was that attitudes should not be assumed to predict behavior, and the study’s findings have influenced ongoing research into when and why attitudes influence actions.
