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Study Guide Importance

• Encourage reviewing study guides posted in this week's module.

• Fill in from memory to reinforce learning; it contributes to the 50% exam portion of the grade.

• Issue with unassigned essays being sorted out; scores will be adjusted accordingly.

Understanding Attitudes

• Definition of Attitude: A learned tendency to respond to an object, person, or issue in a specific way.

• Attitudes can be:

  • Positive: Favorable evaluations.

  • Negative: Unfavorable evaluations.

  • Ambivalent: Mixed feelings, unsure which outweighs the other.

Components of Attitudes

• There are three major components to every attitude:

  • Cognitive Component: Thoughts and beliefs about the topic (mental aspects).

    • Example: Jill believes fast food availability discourages healthier eating.

  • Affective Component: Emotions and feelings towards the topic.

    • Example: Jill finds fast food disgusting and hates greasy fries and fake milkshakes.

  • Behavioral Component: Actions reflecting the attitude.

    • Example: Jill organizes a petition against a new fast food restaurant.

Factors Influencing Behavior Consistency with Attitudes

• Anticipated Outcomes: Likelihood of favorable responses from others based on the attitude.

• Extremity and Expression of Attitudes: The more extreme or frequently expressed the attitude, the more likely individuals will act in accordance with it.

• Direct Experience: Attitudes formed through direct experiences lead to consistent behavior.

• Knowledge on the Subject: Greater knowledge results in consistent attitudes and behavior.

• Vested Interest: Personal stakes in the subject increase likelihood of behavior aligning with attitudes.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

• Definition: Unpleasant psychological tension (dissonance) arises when two thoughts or behaviors are inconsistent.

  • Example: A smoker recognizes that smoking is unhealthy but continues to smoke—experiences cognitive dissonance.

• Resolution Strategies:

  • Change Behavior: Quit smoking to align with the attitude of wanting to be healthy.

  • Change Attitude: Rationalize behavior, such as believing enjoyment of smoking outweighs health concerns.

Historical Context

• Research on cognitive dissonance originated with Leon Festinger in the 1950s.

• Study of cognitive dissonance explored how people resolve discomfort from conflicting thoughts and behaviors.

• Follow-up examples often introduced by other psychologists, such as Philip Zimbardo, provide insights on the implications of dissonance in social psychology.