4.2 Attitude Formation and Attitude Change

Attitudes

Feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events

Foot-in-the-door phenomenon

The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request

Role

A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave

Cognitive dissonance theory

The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent; for example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes

Persuasion

Changing people’s attitudes, potentially influencing their actions

Peripheral route persuasiveness

Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness