Components of Attitude
The component of attitude that involves one's actions.
Behavior
Why are attitudes sometimes poor predictors of behavior?
Numerous other influences
Too many outside influences
Rarely a direct connection between attitudes and behavior
Complicated relationship between attitude and behavior
What is the underlying idea for the view (view 2) that behavior determines attitude?
Individuals tend to form beliefs that fit with their regular behaviors
Sometimes individuals act (automatically), then justify and explain it after the fact
It's human nature to desire consistency between our actions and our attitudes
What is cognitive dissonance?
Internal conflict we experience when our attitudes and behaviors conflict with each other.
The component of attitude that involves one's thoughts.
Cognition
There are several situations where attitudes tend to be fairly accurate predictors of behavior. Name one.
Other influences are minimized
Attitude is specific to the behavior
Attitude is strong or well-established
What is a social role?
Social norm or guideline that defines how individuals are supposed to act
Set of guidelines that tell individuals how to act based on how they are defined
What is the key feature of cognitive dissonance?
Cognition - the internal conflict we experience when we do something we don't believe in or agree with.
Not just the act of doing something we don't believe in or agree with, but the internal conflict that happens when we do.
The component of attitude that reflects one's feelings or emotions.
Affect
How can we account for the influences of situational factors on behavior in order to better understand an individual's attitude toward something?
Use an aggregate approach
Look at reactions and behaviors across multiple situations
Self-presentation theory is one explanation for why actions can affect attitudes. What does it suggest?
Individuals want to appear consistent to others, as this demonstrates confidence and tends to be perceived positively.
Joe Schmo wants to lose weight. He plans out this awesome diet and vows to stick to it. Then he goes to the mall and walks by the pretzel stand. The diet is no-carb, but he's just gotta have that pretzel...so he gets two, with delicious fat-filled buttery dipping sauce on the side. Identify two major sources of conflict within this example.
Desire to lose weight / Diet plan, and Desire to have a pretzel / love of pretzels / choice to have a pretzel
When we don't have adequate time to think about something, what do we tend to rely on?
Feelings or emotions
What is one reason why long-standing or well-established attitudes tend to predict behavior more accurately than newly formed attitudes?
More confidence
Habit or routine
Part of our identity
How does cognitive dissonance theory differ from self-preservation theory?
Cognitive dissonance theory is based on the idea that individuals strive for consistency between attitudes and behaviors to avoid experiencing internal conflict.
Self-preservation theory is based on the idea that individuals strive for consistency between attitudes and behaviors to avoid appearing inconsistent or conflicting to others.
Cognitive dissonance theory is external, while self-preservation theory is internal.
What is one way we try to reduce cognitive dissonance?
Justify the behavior; make it out to be beyond our control
Explain the benefits or positive aspect of the behavior
Change our attitude so that it fits with the behavior
There are several challenges associated with studying attitudes. Name one.
Attitudes are not measured directly (measured by behavior)
Attitudes are not directly tangible
Difficult to separate outside influences
Joe Schmo has a negative attitude towards pit bulls because he was bitten by one twice as a kid.
Jane Schmo has a negative attitude towards pit bulls because she read about them being aggressive in a magazine.
Which individual's attitude is likely to be stronger?
Joe Schmo - attitude came from experience.
Summarize self-perception theory.
We assume our actions to be self-revealing
If we are not sure of our beliefs or feelings, we look at our behavior
We use our behavior to understand our attitudes
Same approach we use to understand the attitudes of others
We look at behavior and the situation, and make inferences accordingly
Achieve self-understanding through behavior
We want to appear and feel consistent, so we match our attitudes with our behaviors
Joe Schmo is a good student who always studies well for tests. He believes this to be important. One night, however, on his b-day, he decides to skip studying and goes out to the bar to celebrate.
Identify the two conflicting COGNITIONs in this situation.
desire to do well academically; conceptualization of self as a good student AND desire to celebrate his b-day; conceptualization that he deserves it.