Unit 4 Topic 3 - Attitudes

Question 1

Describe implicit attitudes (4.3.1.1)

Answer 1

involuntary, uncontrollable, and typically unconscious attitudes

Question 2

Describe attitudes (4.3.1.1)

Answer 2

an attitude is a learned, stable, and relatively enduring evaluation of a person, object or idea that can affect an individual’s behaviour - can be implicit or explicit

Question 3

Describe explicit attitudes (4.3.1.1)

Answer 3

openly stating attitudes and behaving accordingly

Question 4

Identify two possible causes of cognitive dissonance (4.3.1.2)

Answer 4

Decisions and Effort

Question 5

Define cognitive dissonance (4.3.1.2)

Answer 5

conflict between a person’s behaviour and other components of an attitude

Question 6

Explain how decisions can cause cognitive dissonance (4.3.1.2)

Answer 6

making a decision cuts off the possibility that you can enjoy the advantages of the unchosen alternative, yet it assures you that you must accept the disadvantages of the chosen alternative

Question 7

Explain how effort can cause cognitive dissonance (4.3.1.2)

Answer 7

people value things which required considerable effort to achieve. If a person puts in effort to a task which they have chosen to carry out, and the task turns out badly, they experience cognitive dissonance

Question 8

Define effort justification (4.3.1.2)

Answer 8

reducing cognitive dissonance

Question 9

Explain how effort justification occurs (4.3.1.2)

Answer 9

change attitudes, acquire new information, reduce the importance of cognitions

Question 10

Describe the social identity theory (4.3.1.3)

Answer 10

theory suggests a person’s sense of who they are (identity) is based on what groups they believe they are a member of (can cause prejudice and discrimination)

Question 11

Differentiate between social categorisation, social identification and social comparison (4.3.1.3)

Answer 11

Cat: people grouped into social categories
Iden: people categorise themselves into groups
Comp: examine similarities and differences between groups

Question 12

Summarise Henry Tajel, 1970 (4.3.1.3)

Answer 12

AIM: investigate the behaviour of an individual towards other in-group member and out-group member

METHOD: Part 1: establishing inter-group cate. - split into 2 group - groups had to allocate money to all participants in any divisions they chose Part 2: effect on behaviour - 3 new groups - same amount of money given, they could either evenly give money to everyone or just their group

RESULTS: Part 1: majority of the participants allocated more money to members of their own group Part 2: majority did not benefit the profitability of the whole group, rather just the profitability of their own group

SUMMARY: - the groups were more concerned about creating as much difference between the groups, rather than consolidating a greater amount for everyone - discrimination caused by the segregation or categorisation

LIMITS: - population & historical validity - ecological validity (lab conditions)

Question 13

Describe the attribution theory (4.3.1.4)

Answer 13

theory deals with how the social perceiver uses information to arrive at casual explanations for events. It examines what information is gathered and how it is combined to form a casual judgement

Question 14

Define attribution (4.3.1.4)

Answer 14

drawing a conclusion about the reason for a particular behaviour

Question 15

Distinguish between situational and dispositional attributions (4.3.1.4)

Answer 15

Situational – person concludes the behaviour is due to environmental factors (e.g. late because of traffic)

Dispositional – person concludes the behaviour was due to innate factors specific to the person (e.g. late because of lack of organisation)

Question 16

Explain the fundamental attribution error (4.3.1.4)

Answer 16

people underestimate the impact of the environmental factors and overestimate the impact of innate factors when it comes to others - more likely to draw dispositional attribution than situational about other people’s actions

Question 17

Summarise Ross et al., 1977 (4.3.1.4)

Answer 17

AIM: - investigate why people consistently fail to make adequate allowance for external factors when making inferences about other people’s performance

METHOD: - participants either a questioner or contestant - results were read aloud - participants had to rate their knowledge and their partners

RESULTS: - Q rated themselves more superior than C - C rates themselves far more inferior than the Q - observers rated Q more knowledgeable than C (2nd exp)

SUMMARY: - supports theory - underestimate the role of situational determinants and overestimate the degree to which social actions and outcomes reflect the dispositions of others

Question 18

Define bias (4.3.1.5)

Answer 18

an opinion or belief held about a person or a thing

Question 19

Contrast self-serving and confirmation biases (4.3.1.5)

Answer 19

Self-Serving Bias: - tendency to overestimate the influence of innate factors on satisfying outcomes of our behaviours and of situational factors on unsatisfying outcomes of our behaviours - helps protect self-esteem and positive image to others - e.g. succeed at something because you are great, but fail at something and it’s the situation
Confirmation Bias: - tendency to search for, remember, interpret, and favour information in a way that is consistent with pre-existing beliefs and predications (e.g. Donald Trump is good)

Question 20

Distinguish between the components of the tri-component model of attitudes (4.3.1.6)

Answer 20

affective: persons feelings
behavioural: influence on behaviour
cognition: a persons belief

Question 21

Distinguish between prejudice and discrimination (4.3.1.7)

Answer 21

Prejudice: an unfavourable attitude or opinion towards a group of people

Discrimination: an action based on an attitude of prejudice, usually aimed at an individual

Question 22

Describe scapegoating (4.3.1.8)

Answer 22

blaming a group or person for a negative action, event, or results

Question 23

Describe direct experience (4.3.1.8)

Answer 23

having an encounter with someone, an object or idea

Question 24

Describe personal prejudice (4.3.1.8)

Answer 24

prejudice held by an individual of another individual

Question 25

Describe group prejudice (4.3.1.8)

Answer 25

held by an individual towards a group or a group towards an individual

Question 26

Describe prejudiced personality (4.3.1.8)

Answer 26

some individuals are more prone to developing prejudice

Question 27

Describe prejudice expressed as sexism and ageism (4.3.1.9)

Answer 27

Sexism – prejudice based on an individual’s gender

Ageism – prejudice based on an individual’s age