1 / 29

Attitude formation and change

Attitude formation and change. What is attitude?. Ideas we hold about ourselves, others, objects and experiences An evaluation a person makes about an object, person, group, event or issue An evaluation refers to a judgement being made – either positive or negative about something.

juana
Download Presentation

Attitude formation and change

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Attitude formation and change

  2. What is attitude? • Ideas we hold about ourselves, others, objects and experiences • An evaluation a person makes about an object, person, group, event or issue • An evaluation refers to a judgement being made – either positive or negative about something

  3. How are these developed? • Experience • Reflect our individual backgrounds and socio-cultural experiences • We form our attitudes as we interact and are exposed to different types of media and life in general

  4. Tri-component model of attitudes • This is the most widely used model to explain attitude • Proposes that attitude has three related components – the affective, behavioural and cognitive components – which are sometimes referred to as the ‘ABC of attitudes’ (Aronson, 2008)

  5. Affective component • Refers to emotional reactions or feelings an individual has towards a object, person, group, event or issue • Based on a judgment which results in either a positive, negative or neutral response. • Examples: • I enjoy playing tennis • I hate maths • I’m not interested in politics

  6. Behavioural Component • Refers to the way an attitude is expressed through our actions (or intended actions if an opportunity presented itself) • Examples • Running to keep fit is the behavioural component that reflects your attitude towards fitness • Studying for an exam is the behavioural component that reflects your attitude towards school

  7. Cognitive component • Refers to the belief we have about an object, person, group, event or issue • These are linked to what we know about the world and developed through experience • Some beliefs are true and some are false • Some can be verified and some cannot • (verified- proven)

  8. Tri-component model • Proposes that all three components must be present before it can be said an attitude exists • Example:

  9. Cont. • Usually the three components are consistent however the behavioural component can often be inconsistent with the affective and cognitive components • Example:

  10. Cont. • Occasionally the behavioural component can be consistent with one other component but these can be inconsistent with the third

  11. Task • Give an example of an attitude based on the tri-component model. Identify each of the components • Activity 8.2 (p. 328)

  12. Limitations of the model • Inconsistency between the three components • Attitude is often not a predictor of behaviour • Research- La Piere (1934) (p. 328) • Complete activity 8.4

  13. Attitudes and behaviour • Many factors influence whether attitude and behaviour will be consistent. Some of the most significant factors include: • How strong the attitude is • How easily it comes to mind • The situation we are in • Our personal belief that we can actually perform the behaviour associated with the attitude

  14. Strength of attitude • A strong attitude is well known, easily accessible, personally relevant and has a strong emotional component • The stronger the attitude the more likely it will be consistent, resistant to change and influence behaviour • Kraus (1995) found that the stronger the attitude that more likely it would predict behaviour

  15. Strength of attitude • Strong attitudes are based on having a lot of information on the topic – the person tends to be well informed on the topic of the attitude • Based on amount of information and how the information was obtained • Information gained through direct rather than indirect experience will usually be associated with a stronger attitude • Being surrounded by like minded people will also lead to stronger attitudes • Validates the attitude • Supports the attitude

  16. Accessibility to the attitude • Aronson (2008) An attitude that is easily accessible is more likely to lead to consistency between attitude and behaviour • An easily accessible attitude is a strong attitude that easily comes to mind (is well thought out and well known) • Fazio and Williams (1986) pg. 330-331

  17. Social context of the attitude • Fishbein and Ajzen (1975): whether attitude leads to behaviour depends on social context or specific situation a person finds themselves in • The situation can overpower the affective and cognitive components of the behaviour

  18. Perceived control over the behaviour • Attitude and behaviour are more likely to match if people perceive (think/believe) that they have control over the behaviour that may result from the attitude • Perceived control-individual has the belief that they are free to perform or not perform the behaviour and that they can actually do it Ajzen and Fishbein (2002)

  19. Activity • Learning Activity 8.5: Review Questions

  20. Factors influencing attitude formation

  21. Classical conditioning • When learning occurs through repeated association of two different stimuli • Stimulus: an event which may trigger a response • Both negative and positive attitudes canbe formed this way • Can you think of examples of this from the media?

  22. Operant conditioning • Based on the assumption that we tend to repeat behaviour which has a desirable consequence or result (reward) and tend NOT to repeat behaviour which has an undesirable consequence or result (punishment) • Reinforcement is any event which strengthens a response or increases the likelihood of a particular response occurring again • Examples?

  23. Modelling • Occurs when someone uses observation of another person’s actions and their consequences to guide their future thoughts, feelings and behaviour • This can be done unconsciously

  24. Repeated exposure • Being exposed to an object, person, group, event or issue repeatedly then developing an attitude based on this • Based on personal experience (either direct or indirect) • Repeated exposure leads to a positive attitude – regardless of if there is a reward or motivation to do so • Mere exposure effect – increase liking for an attitude, object, person, group, event or issue only as a result or being exposed to it

  25. Zajonc (1968) research into the effect of repeated exposure on attitude

  26. Cont. • Research indicates that negative attitudes do not arise from repeated exposure UNLESS accompanied by a negative experience

  27. Learning activity 8.8 ‘Summarise influences on attitude formation’ pg. 337

More Related