Psych 220 Topic 6 - Attitudes

Attitudes

Evaluations of people, objects, or ideas

Affective Component

Emotional responses toward an attitude object

Cognitive Component

Thoughts and beliefs about an attitude object

Behavioural Component

Actions or observable behaviour toward the attitude object

Explicit Attitudes

Attitudes we can consciously endorse and easily report

Implicit Attitudes

Attitudes that are involuntary, uncontrollable, and sometimes unconscious

Formation of Explicit Attitudes

May be formed based on recent experiences

Formation of Implicit Attitudes

May be formed based on childhood experiences

Do Attitudes Predict Behaviour

Attitudes have weak predictive power for behaviour

LaPiere Study (1934)

Showed inconsistency between expressed attitudes and actual behaviour toward Chinese couple

Spontaneous Behaviour

Behaviour that occurs without time for reflection; depends on attitude accessibility

Theory of Planned Behaviour

Best predictors of deliberate behaviour are attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control

Applications of Theory of Planned Behaviour

Used to study behaviours like quitting smoking, exercising, and safe sex practices

Persuasive Communication

Communication advocating a particular side of an issue with the goal of changing attitudes

Yale Attitude Change Approach

Focuses on the source, nature of the communication, and audience as factors in persuasion

Persuasive Source

Credible, attractive, and likeable speakers are more persuasive

Nature of Communication

Strong logical or emotional messages are more effective; order of presentation matters (primacy/recency)

Audience Factors in Persuasion

Includes age, intelligence, and existing beliefs; also how much attention they pay

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Persuasion occurs via central or peripheral route depending on attention and motivation

Central Route Persuasion

Used when people focus on arguments; leads to lasting attitude change and behaviour consistency

Peripheral Route Persuasion

Used when people are influenced by surface cues; attitudes are less stable

Fear-Arousing Communication

Uses fear to change attitudes; effective when threat and solution are both present

Optimal Fear Level

Must be balanced; too much fear can overwhelm and backfire

Humour in Persuasion

May reduce resistance and increase openness to message

Advertising and Attitudes

Uses emotion, cognition, and repeated exposure to change attitudes

Subliminal Messages

Words or images not consciously perceived; limited evidence of effectiveness outside lab

Cultural Advertising Strategies

Individualist appeals used in Western cultures, collectivist appeals in Eastern cultures

Attitude Inoculation

Exposing people to small doses of opposing arguments to build resistance

Product Placement

Embedding products in media to influence consumer attitudes unconsciously

Cognitive Defense

Mental strategies to resist persuasive attempts, especially in advertising

Cognitive Dissonance

Discomfort from holding conflicting attitudes or attitudes that conflict with behaviour

Reducing Cognitive Dissonance

Change behaviour, change attitudes, or justify with consonant cognitions

Post-Decision Dissonance

Occurs after making a choice; reduced by enhancing chosen option and devaluing rejected one

Dissonance and Decision Permanence

Stronger dissonance when decision is hard to reverse, leading to stronger attitude change

Justification of Effort

People like something more if they worked hard to obtain it

Immoral Behaviour and Dissonance

Dissonance can lead to future justification or rejection of unethical actions