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6.4.1 - Attitude Formation

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Understanding Attitudes

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Teacher
Teacher

Today, we're diving into the world of attitudes! Can anyone tell me what an attitude is?

Student 1
Student 1

Isn't it just what you think about something?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! An attitude reflects how we think, feel, and act towards something, known as the A-B-C components: Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive. Who can remember what those components entail?

Student 2
Student 2

Affective is how we feel about it, Behavioral is how we act, and Cognitive is what we think!

Teacher
Teacher

Great job! Now, let’s remember that: A-B-C—Affects our Behavior and Cognition. Let's explore how these attitudes are formed.

Formation of Attitudes

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Teacher
Teacher

Attitudes are learned in various ways. Can anyone name one method of forming an attitude?

Student 3
Student 3

Learning by association, right?

Teacher
Teacher

Right! For example, if a student enjoys a subject because a teacher makes it fun, that’s learning by association. Another way is through reward and punishment; can someone provide an example?

Student 4
Student 4

If I get praised for studying hard, I might develop a positive attitude towards studying!

Teacher
Teacher

Absolutely! Rewards reinforce behaviors. Now remember, the more positive experiences we have with a topic, the stronger our attitudes may become.

Change of Attitudes

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Teacher
Teacher

Now that we understand formation, let’s discuss attitude change. Why do you think people change their attitudes?

Student 1
Student 1

Maybe if they have new experiences or information?

Teacher
Teacher

Yes! That's part of cognitive dissonance. When we encounter information that contradicts our beliefs, it can make us uncomfortable. We want to resolve that discomfort by changing our attitude. Another concept is balance theory; what does that suggest?

Student 2
Student 2

If one part of your attitude system is out of sync with the others, you'll want to change it to make everything consistent!

Teacher
Teacher

Right again! Balance is key in maintaining our attitudes. Let's summarize—change happens through experiencing dissonance and also observing how others react.

Introduction & Overview

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Quick Overview

This section explores the concept of attitudes, how they are formed, and the psychological mechanisms behind their change.

Standard

Attitude formation is a key concept in social psychology that encompasses the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. The section elaborates on different ways attitudes are developed through learning processes, environmental factors, and various methods of changing previously established attitudes.

Detailed

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Audio Book

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How Are Attitudes Formed?

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One important question that psychologists are interested in answering is: how are attitudes formed? Like many other thoughts and concepts that develop and become part of our cognitive system, attitudes towards different topics, things, and people also are formed as we interact with others. However, there are specific conditions that lead to the formation of specific attitudes.

Detailed Explanation

Psychologists study how our interactions with the world shape our views. Attitudes are formed through experiences and social interactions. For example, when you spend time with friends who enjoy a particular music genre, you might develop a liking for it too. This shows that our environment plays a crucial role in shaping our attitude.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine you're new in a class and all your friends are crazy about a superhero movie. At first, you might not care about it, but as you hear them talk about it and see how excited they are, you might start watching it and enjoying it as well. So, your attitude towards the movie changed because of social interaction.

Processes of Attitude Formation

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In general, attitudes are learned through one’s own experiences, and through interaction with others. There are a few research studies that show some sort of inborn aspect of attitudes, but such genetic factors influence attitudes only indirectly, along with learning. Therefore, most social psychologists have focused on the conditions which lead to the learning of attitudes.

Detailed Explanation

Attitudes are mainly formed by what we go through in life and who we spend time with. While genetics can play a minor role, our environment and learning experiences dominate how we form attitudes. For example, if parents often talk negatively about a political party, their children may adopt similar views based on their upbringing.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a child who grows up in a sports-loving family. They see their parents cheering for a specific football team. This environment makes it likely that the child will also develop a positive attitude towards that team, simply because it's normalized in their home.

Learning Attitudes by Association

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You might have seen that students often develop a liking for a particular subject because of the teacher. This is because they see many positive qualities in that teacher; these positive qualities get linked to the subject that s/he teaches, and ultimately get expressed in the form of liking for the subject.

Detailed Explanation

This process refers to how positive or negative feelings towards a teacher can influence a student's attitude towards the subject they teach. If a teacher is enthusiastic and passionate, students may develop a more favorable attitude toward the subject, seeing it as exciting or interesting.

Examples & Analogies

Consider a student who initially disliked science classes. However, they get a new science teacher who is enthusiastic and engages in cool experiments. Over time, the student starts to enjoy science due to the positive association with the teacher's exciting lessons.

Learning Attitudes by Reward and Punishment

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If an individual is praised for showing a particular attitude, chances are high that s/he will develop that attitude further. For example, if a teenager does yogasanas regularly and gets the honour of being ‘Miss Good Health’ in her school, she may develop a positive attitude towards yoga and health in general.

Detailed Explanation

Rewards and incentives can greatly influence attitude formation. If someone receives positive reinforcement for a certain behavior, they are more likely to continue that behavior and develop a positive attitude associated with it. This reflects how society signals which attitudes are 'good' or 'bad.'

Examples & Analogies

A practical example can be found in school sports. If a student wins a trophy for their performance in basketball, they are likely to harbor a more positive attitude towards not only basketball but also exercising regularly; the recognition and praise they receive reinforce their positive feelings.

Learning Attitudes through Modeling

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Often it is not through association, or through reward and punishment, that we learn attitudes. Instead, we learn them by observing others being rewarded or punished for expressing thoughts, or showing behavior of a particular kind towards the attitude object.

Detailed Explanation

Observational learning indicates that we form attitudes by watching others and the consequences they face. For instance, if a child sees their parent being praised for their volunteering efforts, the child may develop a positive attitude towards helping others, wanting to imitate that behavior.

Examples & Analogies

A clear example could be seen in a family gathering where a child observes their elders discussing environmental conservation. Seeing their parents express admiration for those who recycle might encourage them to adopt recycling habits themselves, modeling after their admired role models.

Influences on Attitude Formation

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There are several factors that provide the context for the learning of attitudes through the processes described above. These include family and school environment, reference groups, personal experiences, and media-related influences.

Detailed Explanation

The settings and environments we interact with greatly shape our attitudes. Family teachings, peer influences at school, experiences we encounter, and media representations all contribute to how we perceive different subjects and issues in life. Each of these contexts introduces varying attitudes based on learned behavior.

Examples & Analogies

For instance, a child raised in a pro-environment family may grow up valuing sustainability and conservation, while another from a family which prioritizes economic gain may opt for a more consumption-focused perspective. Each environment influences the children in different ways, highlighting the importance of context in learning attitudes.

Definitions & Key Concepts

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Key Concepts

  • A-B-C Components of Attitudes: Affective, Behavioral, Cognitive.

  • Attitude Formation: Learned through various processes including association, reward, and exposure.

  • Attitude Change: Driven by cognitive dissonance, balance theory, and two-step models.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

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Examples

  • A student develops a positive attitude towards math after consistently receiving praise for hard work.

  • A teenager changes their perspective on environmental issues after participating in a sustainability campaign.

Memory Aids

Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • Attitudes are A-B-C, feelings and actions in symmetry.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Imagine a student who loves math, as their teacher always sparks laughter while teaching, leading to positive feelings toward the subject.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • Remember the A-B-C of attitudes: A for Affective, B for Behavior, C for Cognitive.

🎯 Super Acronyms

Think of ABC — Affects how we Believe and what we Choose to do.

Flash Cards

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Glossary of Terms

Review the Definitions for terms.

  • Term: Attitude

    Definition:

    A state of mind that involves an evaluation of an object, person, or issue.

  • Term: Affective Component

    Definition:

    The emotional aspect of an attitude, indicating how one feels about the attitude object.

  • Term: Behavioral Component

    Definition:

    The aspect of an attitude that reflects how one intends to act toward the attitude object.

  • Term: Cognitive Component

    Definition:

    The beliefs or thoughts that one holds about the attitude object.

  • Term: Cognitive Dissonance

    Definition:

    The psychological discomfort experienced when holding two contradictory cognitions, leading to an attitude change.

  • Term: Balance Theory

    Definition:

    A theory proposing that attitudes toward people and objects should align in a harmonious way.

  • Term: TwoStep Theory

    Definition:

    A model suggesting attitude change occurs in two steps, initially identifying with a source, followed by behavior change.