🧠 TOPIC 2 — ATTITUDES (FORMATION, FUNCTION & MEASUREMENT)

What is an attitude?

A relatively stable evaluation of an object, person, or idea.

What are the three components of attitudes? AND

Affect, behaviour, and cognition.

What does the ABC model stand for?

Affect, behaviour, cognition.

What is affect in attitudes?

Emotional feelings toward an object.

What is cognition in attitudes?

Beliefs or thoughts about an object.

What is behaviour in attitudes?

Actions toward an object.

What is the mere exposure effect?

Increased liking due to repeated exposure.

Who proposed the mere exposure effect?

Zajonc (1968).

Why does mere exposure increase liking?

Familiarity increases positive affect.

What is classical conditioning in attitude formation?

Learning attitudes by associating a neutral stimulus with a positive or negative stimulus.

What is operant conditioning in attitude formation?

Learning attitudes through rewards and punishments.

What is observational learning in attitudes?

Forming attitudes by observing others.

What is the knowledge function of attitudes?

Helping individuals organise and understand information.

What is the instrumental function of attitudes?

Helping people gain rewards and avoid punishments.

What is the ego-defensive function of attitudes?

Protecting self-esteem.

What is the value-expressive function of attitudes?

Expressing personal values and identity.

Do attitudes always predict behaviour?

No, the relationship is often weak.

What study showed attitude–behaviour inconsistency?

LaPiere (1934).

What did LaPiere find?

People’s reported attitudes did not match their behaviour.

What is a Likert scale?

A scale measuring agreement or disagreement, usually using 5 or 7 points.

What does a Likert scale measure?

Explicit attitudes.

What are implicit attitudes?

Automatic, unconscious evaluations.

What test measures implicit attitudes?

The Implicit Association Test (IAT).