Attitudes
Definition
An attitude is a general evaluative reaction to a person, object, idea, behaviour, or other
phenomenon. Continuum from negative to positive.
Attitutional ambivalence = strong positive AND negative reaction to one object.
Attitudes are usually expressed, and while expressing, we validate our attitudes.
Attitudes are not fixed, within one person/culture, attitudes can change over time.
Attitudes have consequences, influences for ourselves and societies. They can lead to war,
protests, or influence consumer behavior etc.
Different degrees of attitude
- Attitude strength
- Importance
- Accessible
- Stable
- Centrality to one’s values, self defining. e.g. againts abortion
could apply person has general pro-life status.
- Convictions
- Strong emotional involvement
- Absolute correct, you’re very convinced
- Ego preoccupation
Classic Perspectives: Consistency theories
- Cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger)
- Conflict in attitudes or behaviour → Cognitive
dissonance (unpleasant tension)
- People are motivated to reduce cognitive dissonance
- Strategies to eliminate dissonance
- Change behaviour
- Change attitude
- Adjust or add cognitions
- Spreading of alternatives, difference between what you did and
didn’t choose become larger and you feel better about what you actually
chose.
- Balance theory (Hider)
- 3 elements
- Person (P)
- Other (O; for instance best friend)
- Attitude object (X; for example Uggs)
- Resolve problem by
- Distance yourself from friend
- Try to convince your friend
- Start to like object more
The inconsistency in both theories is unpleasant and you’re motivated to reduce this.
Consistency theories
- Consequences of consistency seeking
- Selective exposure to information
- Selective attention
, - Selective interpretation
- Selective learning
- Selective memory
Functions of attitudes
- Knowledge function
- Attitudes organise memory and thoughts
- Give meaning to the world
- Instrumental function
- Value-/ identity-expressive function
- Social-adaptive function
How can you measure attitudes
Attitude measurement
- Explicit measures
- Likert scales
- Implicit measures
- For example, Implicit Association Test
- Predicts among other things
- Behaviour (keeping distance in virtual reality
experiment)
- Feelings of guilt
- Also shown for other attitudes
- Age, gender, ethnicity, presidential candidate
Attitude → Behaviour
- Can behaviour be predicted from attitudes?
- In the past, until +/- 1970: No
- Can say you have a positive attitude about
ethnic minorities, but act cool and distant
- But also opposite: US trip with Chinese couple,
67 hotels, 184 restaurants
- Correlation: relatively low (approx .20-.30)
- More recently: Yes
- Implicit measures, subtly, non-verbal behaviors
- Specifiv measures + control variables
Theory of Reasoned action
When does attitude measurement predict behaviour?
1. Measure attitudes towards behaviour
2. Measure behaviour concretely
3. Limit yourself to reasoned behaviour
4. Limit yourself to behaviour that is under volitional control
5. Correct for normative influences
Zie schema sheet 31. Behavioural control = the theory of planned behaviour
- Attitude → behaviour link is strong when attitude is
- Strong, stable, accessible, embedded in other attitudes
- Developed through own experiences / expertise
Definition
An attitude is a general evaluative reaction to a person, object, idea, behaviour, or other
phenomenon. Continuum from negative to positive.
Attitutional ambivalence = strong positive AND negative reaction to one object.
Attitudes are usually expressed, and while expressing, we validate our attitudes.
Attitudes are not fixed, within one person/culture, attitudes can change over time.
Attitudes have consequences, influences for ourselves and societies. They can lead to war,
protests, or influence consumer behavior etc.
Different degrees of attitude
- Attitude strength
- Importance
- Accessible
- Stable
- Centrality to one’s values, self defining. e.g. againts abortion
could apply person has general pro-life status.
- Convictions
- Strong emotional involvement
- Absolute correct, you’re very convinced
- Ego preoccupation
Classic Perspectives: Consistency theories
- Cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger)
- Conflict in attitudes or behaviour → Cognitive
dissonance (unpleasant tension)
- People are motivated to reduce cognitive dissonance
- Strategies to eliminate dissonance
- Change behaviour
- Change attitude
- Adjust or add cognitions
- Spreading of alternatives, difference between what you did and
didn’t choose become larger and you feel better about what you actually
chose.
- Balance theory (Hider)
- 3 elements
- Person (P)
- Other (O; for instance best friend)
- Attitude object (X; for example Uggs)
- Resolve problem by
- Distance yourself from friend
- Try to convince your friend
- Start to like object more
The inconsistency in both theories is unpleasant and you’re motivated to reduce this.
Consistency theories
- Consequences of consistency seeking
- Selective exposure to information
- Selective attention
, - Selective interpretation
- Selective learning
- Selective memory
Functions of attitudes
- Knowledge function
- Attitudes organise memory and thoughts
- Give meaning to the world
- Instrumental function
- Value-/ identity-expressive function
- Social-adaptive function
How can you measure attitudes
Attitude measurement
- Explicit measures
- Likert scales
- Implicit measures
- For example, Implicit Association Test
- Predicts among other things
- Behaviour (keeping distance in virtual reality
experiment)
- Feelings of guilt
- Also shown for other attitudes
- Age, gender, ethnicity, presidential candidate
Attitude → Behaviour
- Can behaviour be predicted from attitudes?
- In the past, until +/- 1970: No
- Can say you have a positive attitude about
ethnic minorities, but act cool and distant
- But also opposite: US trip with Chinese couple,
67 hotels, 184 restaurants
- Correlation: relatively low (approx .20-.30)
- More recently: Yes
- Implicit measures, subtly, non-verbal behaviors
- Specifiv measures + control variables
Theory of Reasoned action
When does attitude measurement predict behaviour?
1. Measure attitudes towards behaviour
2. Measure behaviour concretely
3. Limit yourself to reasoned behaviour
4. Limit yourself to behaviour that is under volitional control
5. Correct for normative influences
Zie schema sheet 31. Behavioural control = the theory of planned behaviour
- Attitude → behaviour link is strong when attitude is
- Strong, stable, accessible, embedded in other attitudes
- Developed through own experiences / expertise
