Chapter 3 - Attitudes, Information Processing, & Behavior

Attitudes

Beliefs influencing perception, thoughts, and actions

Selective attention

Tendency to focus on information congruent with attitudes

Gordon Allport

Prolific attitudes researcher; attitudes shape perception and actions

Ambiguous Universe

Complex world where attitudes guide understanding and actions

Confirmation bias

Preference for information aligning with existing beliefs

Selective interpretation

Filtering information to fit personal attitudes and beliefs

Hastorf and Cantril Study

Demonstrated bias in interpreting shared information based on team loyalty

Market demand

Media catering to audience biases for viewership

Importance of attitude

Directly correlates with selective attention to information

Ambivalence

Uncertainty leading to selective attention based on relevance

Desirability bias

Influencing interpretation based on personal desires

Balus and Dunning Study

Manipulated desirability affecting perception of stimuli

Objectivity

Striving for unbiased interpretation of information

Congruence bias

Preference for information aligning with attitudes

Relevance bias

Focus on information related to personal beliefs

Confirmation bias in news

Tendency to dismiss news from sources with opposing biases

Dave Chappelle SNL Sketch

Satirical portrayal of biased interpretation in media

Protests after election

Example of selective processing to support existing beliefs

Interpretation bias

Tendency to interpret information in favor of personal views

Selective attention in media

Media outlets catering to audience preferences for profit

Influence of attitudes on behavior

Attitudes guiding actions and decision-making processes

Biased interpretation

Interpreting information in a way that aligns with personal beliefs

Desire manipulation study

Research altering desirability to influence perception

Referee bias study

Illustrated bias in perception based on team loyalty

Media bias exploitation

Media outlets using bias to attract and retain viewers

Attitude impact on memory

Influence of attitudes on encoding and recall of information

Desire

Motivation towards a specific outcome

Ambiguous character

A symbol open to interpretation based on desire

Congeniality effect

Tendency to remember information congruent with attitudes

Defensive self-esteem

High explicit but low implicit self-esteem

Environmental attitudes

Beliefs and feelings towards environmental issues

Behavior change

Modifying actions based on attitudes

Relevance

Importance or significance to an individual

Attitude-behavior relationship

Connection between beliefs and corresponding actions

Theory of Reasoned Action

Model explaining behavior from attitudes and subjective norms

Theory of Planned Behavior

Model adding perceived behavioral control to the Theory of Reasoned Action

Safer sex decision-making

Process of making choices regarding sexual health practices

Matched measurement

Ensuring consistency in assessing attitudes and behaviors

Target-action-context-time

Key elements for aligning attitude and behavior measurement

Correlation

Relationship between two variables

Eisen and Fishbein

Social psychologists known for attitude-behavior models

Target action context

The specific situation or setting in which a behavior or attitude is being measured.

Attitude measure

Assessment of an individual's feelings or beliefs towards a specific object or topic.

Behavior measure

Evaluation of an individual's actions or conduct in a given scenario.

Adequately measure

Ensuring accurate and comprehensive assessment of a construct or behavior.

Multiple behaviors

Assessing various actions or conduct related to a specific topic or construct.

Indicators of safer sex behavior

Measurable signs or cues reflecting engagement in safe sexual practices.

Aggregating behavior

Combining and analyzing multiple instances of behavior to derive a comprehensive understanding.

Variable behavior

Actions or conduct that fluctuate or change over time or in different situations.

Environmental action

Activities or behaviors aimed at preserving or protecting the natural environment.

Recycling behavior

The act of reusing or processing materials to create new products.

Behavioral index

A composite measure summarizing various behaviors related to a specific construct.

Implicit attitudes

Unconscious beliefs or feelings that influence behavior without conscious awareness.

Explicit attitudes

Conscious beliefs or feelings that an individual can readily report or express.

Reflective impulsive model

A theoretical framework explaining the interplay between implicit and explicit attitudes in influencing behavior.

Deliberative behavior

Intentional and thoughtful actions that are consciously chosen.

Spontaneous behavior

Unplanned or impulsive actions that occur without conscious deliberation.

Reflective system

The cognitive pathway involving conscious reasoning and decision-making in behavior.

Impulsive system

The cognitive pathway characterized by spontaneous and automatic responses in behavior.

Attitude influence

The impact of beliefs or feelings on an individual's actions or decisions.

Evaluative cognitive consistency

The alignment between an individual's thoughts and beliefs with their attitudes towards a specific object.

Object appraisal

The evaluation or judgment of an object or topic based on one's attitudes or beliefs.

Strong attitudes

Firm or deeply held beliefs or feelings that strongly influence behavior.

Cognitive consistency

The degree of harmony between an individual's thoughts and their attitude towards a subject.

Norman's study

Research demonstrating the relationship between cognitive consistency and behavior prediction based on the alignment of thoughts and attitudes.

Cognitive Consistency

Degree of harmony between attitude and behavior

Evaluative Cognitive Consistency

High correlation between attitude and behavior

Holland Study

Explored if attitudes predict behavior or vice versa

Attitudes Predict Behavior

Strong attitudes correlate with future behavior

Behavior Predicts Attitudes

Weak attitudes influenced by future behavior

Self-Perception Theory

People infer attitudes from observed behavior

Self-Monitoring

Awareness of how one is perceived by others

High Self-Monitors

Adapt behavior to fit different situations

Low Self-Monitors

Consistent in behavior across situations

Self-Esteem

Influences behavior consistency with attitudes

Need for Cognition

Desire to engage in effortful thinking and analysis

Attitudes Influence Perception

Affect attention, interpretation, and memory