Lesson 6:

• Attitude


  A predisposition to respond (initial reaction) to a particular object in a generally favorable or unfavorable way
• Attitudes do not exist in isolation, because attitudes can influence behavior
• Components of Attitude


  • Cognition
  • Evaluation
  • Behavioral Predisposition

  
• Cognition


  An attitude is based on a set of cognitions or knowledge structures associated with the attitude object

  
• Evaluation


  An attitude also has an evaluative (isip, cognition) or affective (puso, emotions) component

  
• Behavioral Predisposition


  An attitude also involves a predisposition to respond or a behavioral tendency toward the object

  
• Cognitive, evaluative, and behavioral components all have the same object, so we would expect them to form a single, relatively consistent whole
• Instrumental Conditioning


  1. Using behavioral consequences to affect the likelihood of an action happening again

  2. Behaviors that are followed by positive consequences are more likely to occur again

  3. Behaviors that are followed by negative consequences are less likely to occur again
• Observation Learning


  1. Learning by watching the action of others

  2. A specific behavior is observed then is imitated

  3. Attention - Observers cannot learn if they are note actually paying attention

  4. Retention - the observation must be placed in memory

  5. Reproduction - the observer has the ability to reproduce the observed behavior

  6. Motivation - without motivation to engage in behavior, it will not be reproduced
• Vertical Structure


  Signify that a minor belief is derived from or dependent on a primitive belief
• Horizontal Structure


  When an attitude is linked to more than one set of underlying beliefs—that is, when there are two or more different justifications for it
• Balance Theory


  Assumes that people will try to restore balance among their attitudes
• Theory of Cognitive Dissonance


  An internal conflict that occurs in a person when they hold two conflicting beliefs simultaneously
• The greater the reward or incentive for engaging in counter attitudinal behavior, the less the resulting attitude change
• The greater the incentive for engaging in counter attitudinal behavior, the greater the resulting attitude change
• Factors affecting the relationship between attitude and behavior

  • The activation of the attitude
  • The characteristics of the attitude
  • The correspondence between attitude and behavior
  • Situational constraints on behavior

  
• Activation of Attitude


  When an attitude is brought from memory into conscious awareness
• Affective-Cognitive Consistency


  The greater the consistency between cognition and evaluation, the greater the strength of the attitude-behavior relation
• Direct Experience


  Attitudes based on direct experience are more predictive of subsequent behavior
• Correspondence between Attitude and Behavior


  Attitudes are more likely to predict behavior when the two are at the same level of specificity

  
• Situational Constraint


  An influence on behavior due to the likelihood that other persons will learn about the behavior and respond positively or negatively to it
• Reasoned Action Model


  A psychological framework that explains how individuals make decisions based on their beliefs, attitudes, and social influences
• Components of Reasoned Action Model

  • Attitudes
  • Subjective Norms
  • Intention