6.4.2 - Attitude Change
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Understanding Attitudes and Their Components
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Today, we will explore what attitudes are and their components. Does anyone know the three main components of an attitude?
Is one of them the way we feel about something?
Yes! That's the affective component. We also have the cognitive component, which involves our thoughts and beliefs about the attitude object, and the behavioral component, which involves the actions we take. Together, they form the A-B-C model of attitudes.
So we have Affect, Behavior, and Cognition?
Exactly! A-B-C is a great way to remember these components. Can someone give an example of these components in action?
If I love animals (affective), and I think they deserve protection (cognitive), I might volunteer at an animal shelter (behavioral).
That's a perfect example! Remember, when all three components align, it leads to a stronger attitude!
Attitude Formation
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Now, let's discuss how attitudes are formed. Can anyone list a few ways we learn our attitudes?
By personal experiences and observations?
Yes! It's often through our interactions with family, friends, and social norms. We can learn attitudes through three main mechanisms: association, rewards, and modeling.
What do you mean by learning through association?
Great question! For example, if you associate a certain song with happy memories, you may develop an attitude of fondness towards that song. It's all about linking feelings to experiences!
So if something bad happens when I try a food, I might develop a negative attitude towards it?
Exactly! That's negative reinforcement at work.
Cognitive Dissonance and Attitude Change
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Let's pivot to cognitive dissonance. Can anyone explain what cognitive dissonance means?
It's when our beliefs don't match up with our actions, right?
Absolutely! That discomfort can motivate us to change either our beliefs or our actions to achieve consistency. For instance, if I eat junk food but believe healthy eating is important, I might feel dissonant about my actions.
So to fix that feeling, I could start eating healthier?
Exactly! Or, I could convince myself that junk food isn't that bad.
How do we decide which way to change?
That's influenced by various factors, including the strength of the attitude and external pressures.
The Impact of Attitudes on Behavior
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Now let’s discuss the relationship between attitudes and behavior. Does anyone think our attitudes always predict our actions?
Not always! Like with LaPiere's study, people said one thing but acted differently.
Exactly! There can be many external factors influencing behavior. Strong and central attitudes are more likely to guide our behavior.
So, how can we change someone's negative attitude to get a different behavior?
It's often about building positive associations and reinforcing desired behaviors, as well as being aware of the context and emotional appeals!
Prejudice and Discrimination
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Finally, let’s explore how our attitudes can lead to prejudice and discrimination. What do we mean by prejudice?
It's when we hold negative thoughts about a group, right?
Exactly! And these negative attitudes can translate into discrimination. What factors can contribute to prejudiced attitudes?
Learning through family, social norms, or stereotypes.
Very good! Acknowledging that prejudice often exists without overt discrimination is crucial, as it shows the complexity of social attitudes. How can we tackle prejudice effectively?
Through education and intergroup contact?
Yes! Educating ourselves and creating opportunities for positive interactions can help mitigate these prejudices.
Introduction & Overview
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Quick Overview
Standard
The section explores what attitudes are, their components, the psychological processes behind attitude formation and change, and the significance of these changes on social behavior. It provides insights into cognitive dissonance, balance theory, and influence factors.
Detailed
Detailed Summary
Attitudes are defined as a set of evaluations we hold towards various objects, people, or issues, encompassing cognitive, affective, and behavioral components (referred to as the A-B-C model). These components interact with one another, leading to the organization of beliefs, feelings, and tendencies to act. The section outlines how attitudes are formed through several processes:
- Learning through Association: This occurs when attitudes are formed based on experiences, such as developing a preference for a subject taught by a charismatic teacher.
- Rewards and Punishments: Positive reinforcement can nurture favorable attitudes, while negative experiences, like falling sick from bad food, can lead to negative attitudes.
- Modeling: Observing others can shape our attitudes based on their rewards and punishments.
- Cultural Norms: Societal expectations guide attitude development, leading to individuals adopting particular viewpoints to conform.
Significant factors influencing the formation of attitudes include family, school environment, personal experiences, reference groups, and media. The section delves into the intricacies of attitude change, emphasizing theories such as Balance Theory and Cognitive Dissonance, which explain the discomfort caused by conflicting attitudes and how individuals resolve this dissonance by changing their attitudes or beliefs. Additionally, it discusses the characteristics of the existing attitudes that affect the ease of change, including extremeness, centrality, and simplicity.
Furthermore, the section highlights the connection between attitudes and behavior, underscoring that attitudes do not always predict behavior consistently, illustrated by the famous LaPiere study on racial discrimination. Finally, the social ramifications of prejudice and discrimination, often stemming from negative attitudes, are examined, with strategies proposed for managing and mitigating these prejudices.
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The Nature of Attitudes
Chapter 1 of 6
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Chapter Content
Three major concepts that draw attention to some important processes in attitude change are described below:
Detailed Explanation
Attitudes are complex structures influenced by various processes. Understanding these processes helps us manage and alter attitudes effectively. The three major concepts include balance, cognitive dissonance, and the two-step concept, which explain how attitudes interact with each other and how they change.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a scenario where a friend loves fast food but later learns it is unhealthy. This situation may lead to cognitive dissonance as their attitude towards fast food may clash with the new information about its effects on health.
Balance Theory
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Chapter Content
(a) The concept of balance, proposed by Fritz Heider, is sometimes described in the form of the ‘P-O-X’ triangle, which represents the relationships between three aspects or components of the attitude.
Detailed Explanation
Balance Theory focuses on the harmony between attitudes towards a person (P), another person (O), and the attitude object (X). If there's an imbalance—like if P likes X but O doesn't—then one of these attitudes must change to restore balance. For example, if you support recycling (X) but your friend (O) opposes it, you may start to question your support for recycling (X) to align with how your friend feels.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine a sports fan who idolizes a player (P) who is a proponent of a rival team (O). If the fan holds a positive view of that player but dislikes their team (X), they may struggle with their feelings and could either change their opinion about the player or begin to tolerate the team more.
Cognitive Dissonance
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Chapter Content
(b) The concept of cognitive dissonance was proposed by Leon Festinger.
Detailed Explanation
Cognitive dissonance occurs when one holds two conflicting cognitions or attitudes. For instance, if someone believes smoking is harmful but smokes, they experience discomfort because of this inconsistency. To alleviate this discomfort, they might change their behavior (quit smoking) or rationalize it (believing that they can manage their smoking and it won't affect their health).
Examples & Analogies
Consider a student who cheats on a test. This creates dissonance as they believe in honesty. To resolve this, they might downplay the importance of honesty, telling themselves it's acceptable just this once, or they might choose to stop cheating altogether.
Two-Step Concept of Attitude Change
Chapter 4 of 6
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Chapter Content
(c) The two-step concept was proposed by S.M. Mohsin.
Detailed Explanation
According to this concept, attitude change occurs in two steps. Initially, the target of change identifies with the source of influence, which is someone they admire or want to emulate. During the second step, the source demonstrates a change in their attitude, leading the target to adopt a similar change. This method is effective in creating lasting changes because it involves identification and modeling.
Examples & Analogies
A popular athlete endorses a new healthy drink. Fans (the targets) first admire the athlete (the source) and mimic their choices. If the athlete also shows changes, like actively consuming the drink on social media, the fans are likely to change their attitudes toward that drink as well.
Factors Influencing Attitude Change
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Chapter Content
Whether attitudes will change, and if so, to what extent, is a question that puzzles many psychologists.
Detailed Explanation
Several factors affect how and whether attitudes change. These include the characteristics of the existing attitude, source characteristics, message characteristics, and target characteristics. For example, stronger or more central attitudes are harder to change. The credibility of the source can facilitate or hinder change—messages from trusted sources are often more impactful.
Examples & Analogies
Think of political campaigns where candidates present their ideas. If a reputable leader supports a policy, people are more likely to change their attitudes towards that policy compared to if someone from an unreliable source endorses it.
The Attitude-Behaviour Relationship
Chapter 6 of 6
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Chapter Content
We usually expect behaviour to follow logically from attitudes.
Detailed Explanation
While we tend to assume that attitudes dictate behavior, this is not always true. Sometimes actions contradict stated beliefs due to various influencing factors like external pressure or situational demands. Thus, behavior may change without a corresponding shift in attitude, indicating a complex interplay between the two.
Examples & Analogies
A person might express strong environmental beliefs but still use plastic bags because they're convenient. This inconsistency highlights the complexity of behavior versus expressed attitudes.
Key Concepts
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A-B-C Model: Attitudes consist of Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive components.
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Cognitive Dissonance: The tension arising from conflicting attitudes or behaviors.
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Balance Theory: A concept that states attitudes must align to achieve psychological balance.
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Prejudice: Negative attitudes directed towards particular groups.
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Discrimination: Behavior reflecting prejudiced attitudes, typically resulting in unfair treatment.
Examples & Applications
A student develops a positive attitude towards math after having an engaging teacher, showing the A-B-C model in action.
A person who believes that eating healthy leads to better health may change their eating habits upon realizing their current diet contradicts their beliefs, demonstrating cognitive dissonance.
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Rhymes
Attitudes made up of three; A-B-C, can't you see? Feelings, thoughts, and how we act, align them right, that’s a fact!
Stories
Imagine a student who thinks math is hard and feels anxious about it. But one day, they discover math can solve real-life problems, leading to a change in both feelings and efforts in the subject.
Memory Tools
Remember 'ABC' for Attitude: 'A' for Affective, 'B' for Behavioral, 'C' for Cognitive.
Acronyms
Think 'CAB' for Cognitive-Affective-Behavioral framework of attitudes.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Attitude
A state of mind containing beliefs, feelings, and tendencies to act in relation to certain objects or topics.
- Cognitive Dissonance
The psychological discomfort experienced when holding conflicting cognitions or beliefs.
- Balance Theory
A theory explaining how attitudes must maintain a state of balance, which can lead to attitude change.
- Prejudice
A negative attitude or belief towards a group based on preconceived notions.
- Stereotype
A widely held but oversimplified belief or idea about a particular group.
- Discrimination
Behavioral expressions of prejudice resulting in unfair treatment of individuals based on group membership.
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