attitudes and behavior

Do attitudes predict behavior at all? (2 points)

To measure a

• specific attitude requires a specific behavior

• General attitude requires a general behavior

Measurement relevance

Once an attitude/schema = firmly established, behavior can be correlated more strongly

Attitude strength/ stability

With more information, a more stable attitude is developed; confirmation bias of information

With less information, there is more room for change

• Ex. independent states can be swayed

Direct experience

Direct experience leads to more stronger/stable attitudes

• ex. College housing & protesting

Personal Importance

Behavior can be predicted by personal importance, leading to strong/stable attitudes/scema

Measurement timing

When there is more time between when you measure the attitude and the actual behavior, the less accurate

• ex. Presidential election —> as you get polling surveys closer to election, the more accurate.

Reason action model (theory of planned behavior)

To measure someone’s behavior, measure someone’s behavioral intention

Attitude

Subjective norm —> intention

Perceive behavioral control

Subjective Norm

What to the people near me think of this behavior?

Ex. First year college

• Women = attitudes

• Men = subjective norms (aka follow the group) -losers

Perceived Behavior Control (IMPORTANT)

Do I think that I can actually perform the behavior successfully?

• high = could enable individual to do the behavior

• Low = could undermine willingness to even attempt the behavior