PSY1001 - SEMESTER 2 - WEEK 3

Question 1

how did Allport define attitudes

Answer 1

mental and neural state of readiness, organised through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon individuals response to all objects and situations with which it is related

Question 2

how did Eagly & Chaiken, define attitudes

Answer 2

a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favour or disfavour

Question 3

outline the changes to interests in research on attitudes

Answer 3

1. concentration of attitudes measurement, relation to behaviour
2. focus on dynamics of change in person’s attitudes
3. focus on cognitive and social structure and function of attitudes and attitude systems

Question 4

what are 3 components of attitude

Answer 4

-affective (feelings, emotion)
-cognitive (belief, thoughts)
-behavioural (action, intentions)

Question 5

describe the relationship between attitude components

Answer 5

synergistic relationship = component can influence other component

Question 6

what is one component atittude model

Answer 6

degree of positive/negative affect associated with some psychological object

Question 7

what is two component attitude model

Answer 7

added mental readiness (predisposing influence how we decide what is good/bad etc) and attitude private, externally unobservable, only inferred introspectively or inference on what we say/do

Question 8

explain three component attitude model

Answer 8

permanent, limited to socially significant event, generalisable

Question 9

name 5 function for attitude

Answer 9

1. knowledge
2. instrumentality (mean to end)
3. ego-defence (protecting our self-esteem)
4. value-expressiveness (allowing people to display values that uniquely identify and define them)
5. saves our cognitive energy (relates to schema)

Question 10

outline LaPiere study into attitudes predicting behaviours

Answer 10

1/184 restaurants refused service to Chinese Customers, but 92% later wrote back saying they would refuse, concluding attitude doesn’t predict behaviours

Question 11

evaluate LaPiere research onto attitude predicting behaviour

Answer 11

LaPiere also present
only 1 couple used
attitude measured long time post-behaivours (at time when attitudes rapidly changing)
different people served couple or answered letters

Question 12

explain correlation coefficients for attitude (suggesting attitudes more likely to be unrelated/slightly than closely relating to behaviours)

Answer 12

product-moment correlation coefficient relating 2 kinds of response rarely above 0.3 (indicates only 9% of variability in behaivour accounted for by attitude), often near 0, average correlation for attitude and behaviour only 0.15
only rarely can max 10% variance in overt behaviour measure be accounted

Question 13

state 3 conditions which promote/disrupt correspondence between having attitude, and displaying behaviour

Answer 13

1. accessibility of attitudes
2. whether attitude expressed in private/public
3. how strongly someone identifies with group where attitudes are normative

Question 14

explain research into attitude predicting behaviour (on alcohol consumption)

Answer 14

only small positive correlation found between attitude, and reported alcohol consumption (Gregsion & Stacey, 1981)

Question 15

explain 5 elements of the principle of compatibility (between attitude and behaviour)

Answer 15

1. actions
2. actor
3. context
4. target
5. time
   (AACTT- is used in interventions)

Question 16

when are correspondence between attitude and behaviour the greatest

Answer 16

if measured with same degree in specificity

Question 17

outline research into birth control pills, atittude and behaviour

Answer 17

attitude toward birth control= 0.08 correlation
attitude toward pill= 0.32
attitude toward using birth control= 0.53
attitude toward using pill in the next year= 0.50

Question 18

outline a study into COVID-19 vaccine attitudes, and behaviour

Answer 18

general attitude towards vaccination= 0.31 correlations between attitude, and behviours
specific attitude toward covid vaccination= 0.50 correlation between attitude and behaviour

Question 19

what is attitude accessibliity

Answer 19

easily recalled from memory, due to salience. expressed quicker, associated with greater attitude-behaviour consistency, more stable and selective when judging relevant info, more resistant to change

Question 20

explain connectionism (related to attitude accessibility)

Answer 20

highly accessible attitude is a cognitive node in mind that is well connected to other cognitive nodes (through learning/conditioning), so focal atittude can be activated in different ways, along different cognitive paths

Question 21

name factors that contributes to attitude strength

Answer 21

accessibility
temporal stability
personal importance, or direct experience
based on feeling

Question 22

explain temporal stability as a factor of attitude strength

Answer 22

strong attitude is resistant to change so are stable over time

Question 23

explain factor of feelings-based attitude, on attitude strengths (including research)

Answer 23

attitude based on feelings are less likely to change over time
ppts recall gift received and asked adjective describing it
coded adjectives “emotionality” with valence of attitude, one month later described again,
found when descriptive affective was more stable but if cognitive, changed over time (eg: lovely vs useful)

Question 24

explain the factor of personal importance to attitude strength

Answer 24

attaching personal importance to attitudes makes it more resistant to change and you put effort into enhancing and supporting attitude

Question 25

outline research into personal importance as factor for attitude strength

Answer 25

Greenpeace attitudes study, measured strength and certainty
weaker atittude donated less

Question 26

what is theory of reasoned action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975)

Answer 26

there isn’t direct relationship between attitude and behaviour, instead attitudes influence decision, and then influences behaviour
3 processes: beliefs, intention, action, with intention also influenced by subjective norms

Question 27

define behavioural intention

Answer 27

assumed to capture motivational factors that influence behaviour, and indicate how hard people are willing to try or how much effort they would exert to perform a behaviour

Question 28

define subjective norm

Answer 28

what important others think about you performing behaviours, 2 component=
1. beliefs about whether important others approve/disapproves
2. motivation to comply (not caring, care)

Question 29

define attitudes toward behaviour

Answer 29

product of person’s beliefs about target behaviour and how these beliefs are evaluated

Question 30

according to theory of reasoned action, when will an action be performed

Answer 30

if attitudes and social norms are favourable

Question 31

give support for theory of reasoned action

Answer 31

meta-analysis showed average correlation of attitudes/norms and intention = 0.66
average correlation of intention and behaviour = 0.53

Question 32

give a weakness of theory of reasoned action

Answer 32

do we have control over our action? eg: can we afford

Question 33

outline theory of planned behaviour (Azjen, 1991)

Answer 33

attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control influences intention, then behaviour

Question 34

explain perceived behavioural controls

Answer 34

peoples perceptions of their ability to perform a given behaviour (similar to self efficacy), based on past experience or present obstacle

Question 35

give research studies for theory of planned behaviour

Answer 35

students self-report on exam cheating, shoplifting, and lying to avoid assignments. found measuring students perception of control improved future behavioural predictions accuracy, sometimes even actual performance of act

Question 36

give supporting research for theory of planned behaviour

Answer 36

meta-analysis found correlation between attitude and intention = 0.49, subjective norm and intention = 0.43, perceived control and intention = 0.43, intention and behaviour = 0.47
used to predict anti-nuclear intentions, drive behaviour = measuring driver intentions in dangerous driving situations found forms basis for developing interventions for speeding reduction

Question 37

explain the issue of intention-behaviour gap in theory of planned behaviour

Answer 37

intention not always translating to behaviour, due to mental, social, physical, situational factors = think have control when dont

Question 38

outline Webb & Sheeran (2006) study for ToPB how planned-behavioural control moderates relationship between intention and behaviour

Answer 38

studied effect of median-to-large sized change in intentions on behaviour, when people had more/less of behavioural control
effect 0.51 when high control (exercise, testicular exam) and effect 0.51 when low behavioural control (contraception)

Question 39

name the main limitation of theory of planned behaviour

Answer 39

ToPB sufficiency assumption = are there additional variables that predict intentions and behaviour?
too rational (engaging in complex process to weigh up attitudes, norms, is behaviour simply habitual

Question 40

name more evaluations for ToPB (aside from sufficiency assumption)

Answer 40

instead of planned behaviour, is more for learning new behaviours or rare (buying new car)
prediction isnt same as explanation (3rd variable problem)
moral and habitual variables play roles in determining future behaviours

Question 41

Sniehotta (2009) study into TPB using a 2x2x2 factorial design (8 conditions), into physical activity, give behavioural-belief intervention

Answer 41

emphasised positive effects of regular physical activity on health, fitness, mood, stress, ability

Question 42

Sniehotta (2009) study into TPB using a 2x2x2 factorial design (8 conditions), into physical activity, give normative-belief intervention

Answer 42

emphasised that most friends and family approved of involvement of safe, secure, healthy physical activity

Question 43

Sniehotta (2009) study into TPB using a 2x2x2 factorial design (8 conditions), into physical activity, give control-belief intervention

Answer 43

addressed 4 key barriers to participation - cost, time, access, feelings of discomfort, embarrassment

Question 44

Sniehotta (2009) study into TPB using a 2x2x2 factorial design (8 conditions), into physical activity, give DV and explain results

Answer 44

DV- change in belief, attendance at facilities over 2 months,
stronger attitudes when in normative-belief intervention and stronger intentions
no impact on targeting attitudes, norms, but control-belief intervention had effect

Question 45

outline protection motivation theory

Answer 45

relates to ToRA and ToPB - adopting healthy behaviours requiring cognitive balance between perceived threat of illness and one’s capacity to cope with health regimine

Question 46

name moderator variables

Answer 46

situation, personality, sense of control, habit, direct experience

Question 47

how can attitude itself be a moderator variable

Answer 47

stronger attitude-behaviour correspondence in attitudes expressing self-concepts and central value, than one that simply maximises reward, minimise punishment

Question 48

explain impact of situational variable on attitude

Answer 48

weak attitude more susceptible to context, social norms that are contextually salient overwhelm underlying attitudes

Question 49

explain impact of individual difference on attitude

Answer 49

higher score on extraversion-introversion scale more likely to behave in extroverted manner in different social settings