Attitude: A positive, negative, or mixed evaluation of people, objects, or ideas. Attitudes and behavior Please indicate the extent to which you agree with the Please indicate whether you have performed each of the statements below: following actions: (Answer YES or NO to each one) 1=strongly disagree 2=disagree 1. I take time to engage in regular physical exercise at least 3=neither agree nor disagree three times a week. 4=agree 2. I regularly eat at least five servings of fresh fruits and 5=strongly agree vegetables each day. 3. I voted in the last election for which I was eligible. 1. Engaging in regular physical exercise three times a week 4. Within the last year, I have personally done something to promotes good health. address the problem of homelessness (e.g., made a charitable 2. Eating a variety of foods each day, including five or more contribution, talked with a homeless person, wrote my servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, contributes to wellness. congressman regarding the problem of homelessness). 3. It is essential that all citizens exercise their right to vote if government is to effectively reflect the will of the people. 4. Homelessness is a serious social problem that needs attention. 1
Processes in the development of attitudes: Richard LaPiere (1934): Traveled through U.S. with Chinese couple Classical conditioning Instrumental/operant conditioning 183/184 restaurants served them Modeling Direct experience Later asked if provide service to Chinese people. 91% (of 128 who replied) said, “No.” When are attitudes poor predictors of behavior? (1) Low correspondence between the attitude and the behavior (Aizen & Fishbein) (2) Strength of attitude is weak (strength=more knowledge; based on direct experience; more important; more accessible.) Ways to Reduce Dissonance Attitude change Techniques Examples Need for cognitive consistency Change your attitude “I don’t really need to be on a diet.” Cognitive dissonance (Leon Festinger, 1957) Assumed we feel tension (dissonance) when two of our Change your perception “I hardly ate any thoughts (cognitions) are psychologically inconsistent. We of the behavior ice cream.” change our thinking to reduce this tension. Add consonant cognitions “Ice cream is very nutritious.” Minimize the importance “I don’t care if I’m of the conflict. overweight” Reduce perceived choice. “I had no other choice; it was prepared for the occasion.” 2
Festinger & Carlsmith (1959) Aronson & Carlsmith (1963) Forbidden toy study IV: $1.00 (dissonance) or $20.00 (no dissonance) reward for lying, or control group (no reward) IV: Mild threat (I won’t like it) or severe threat (will be spanked) DV: Reported enjoyment of task DV: later liking for the toy Result: Ss in the control group and $20 group thought the task Results: Those faced with a mild threat like the toy LESS than was boring. Ss paid $1, who had insufficient justification for those faced with a more severe threat. Those in the mild threat lying, thought the task was somewhat enjoyable. group had “insufficient justification” for their behavior, and therefore internalized it. --Demonstrates self-persuasion --Contradicts belief that big rewards produce attitude change Insufficient justification principle works for punishment as well (“less leads to more effect") as rewards Instead, demonstrates “insufficient justification” Aronson & Mills (1959) Conditions for Dissonance Arousal Female students; group discussions about sex 1. The attitude discrepant behavior must produce unwanted negative consequences IV: Mild initiation or severe initiation or control (no initiation) Heard boring tape about “secondary sex behavior in lower 2. Individual must feel personally responsible for the animals.” unpleasant consequences Result: Ss in severe initiation group rated the discussion more 3. Physiological arousal must occur favorably than those in the mild initiation or control group. 4. Must attribute the arousal to your own inconsistent behavior 3
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