Attitude Change Flashcards
Significance of Attitudes
Link between attitudes and behavior.
Key to marketing and behavior change.
Historical Context
Early focus of social psychology (~80% of studies).
Challenges in Research
Atheoretical studies and inconsistent definitions.
Fragmented findings—”too many bricks in the brickyard.”
Definition of Attitude
Learned disposition guiding thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Consistent responses toward people or objects.
Components of Attitude ABC
Affective (feeling)
Emotional reactions, e.g., “I love beer.”
Behavioral (Acting):
Actions reflecting attitudes, e.g., “I drink beer.”
Cognitive (Thinking):
Beliefs about targets, e.g., “I think about beer.”
Which of the following best illustrates theaffectivecomponent of an attitude?
a) Drinking a specific brand of beer regularly.
b) Believing that one beer is of higher quality than another.
c) Feeling a sense of enjoyment when thinking about beer.
d) Thinking that beer is unhealthy but still choosing to drink it.
c) Feeling a sense of enjoyment when thinking about beer.
Samantha is a health-conscious individual who regularly exercises. She has a positive attitude toward fitness but dislikes jogging as a workout option. Which component of her attitude toward fitness is reflected in her dislike of jogging?
a) Affective (Feeling)
b) Behavioral (Acting)
c) Cognitive (Thinking)
d) None of the above
c) Cognitive (Thinking)
Samantha’s dislike of jogging reflects her belief or thought about a specific behavior related to fitness, showcasing the cognitive component of her attitude.
Characteristics of Attitudes: Learned Influences
Personal Experience: Direct exposure or participation.
Others’ Influence: Social, cultural, institutional, and media effects.
Emotional Reactions: Positive or negative feelings shape attitudes.
Characteristics of Attitudes: General Evaluative Summaries
Positive/negative judgments.
Explicit Measures: Conscious evaluations (e.g., surveys).
Implicit Measures: Automatic, gut-level evaluations.
Characteristics of Attitudes: Validity and Ambivalence
Attitudes can bevalid,invalid, orambivalent.
Explicit Ambivalence: Positive and negative views are both valid.
Implicit Ambivalence: Conflicting evaluations, one rejected.
Function of Attitude
Organize Information
Reduce uncertainty by aiding selective processing.
Focus on positive or negative aspects (e.g., leader’s behavior or rehab outcomes).
Guide Behavior
Motivate intent to act (e.g., engage in physical activity or complete homework).
Do Attitudes Predict Behaviours?
Behavior Shapes Attitudes
People adjust attitudes to align with behaviors (e.g., “I ordered pizza, so I must like pizza”).
Attitudes as Predictors
Multiple Act Behaviors: Likely to predict patterns (e.g., buying running gear, joining a club).
Single Act Behaviors: Poor predictor (e.g., running the Boston Marathon).
Key Predictor for Single Acts
Behavioral Intention: Stronger influence on specific actions.
Role of Reflection
More thought = stronger connection between attitude and behavior.
Alex enjoys swimming and frequently buys swim gear, subscribes to swimming magazines, and goes to the pool several times a week. Based on this information, which of the following behaviors is Alex’s attitude toward swimming most likely to predict?
a) Signing up for a national swimming competition next year.
b) Purchasing a new swimsuit during a sale.
c) Trying a completely different sport like rock climbing.
d) Quitting swimming due to lack of interest.
Correct Answer:b) Purchasing a new swimsuit during a sale.
Alex’s positive attitude toward swimming is a good predictor of multiple act behaviors (e.g., buying gear, visiting the pool) rather than a single act behavior like competing in a national event.
Value of Changing Attitudes
Fosters positive perceptions toward objects or people.
Greater impact onmultiple act behaviors.
Attitudes Are Learned
Stronger attitudes better predict behaviors.
Interventions can reshape attitudes and behaviors.
Classic Processes of PersuasionABC’s of Attitudes
Affective (emotions): Emotional reactions (e.g., appeal to feelings).
Behavioral: Actions taken (e.g., habits or routines).
Cognitive (reason): Beliefs and thoughts (e.g., logical appeal).
Classic Processes of Persuasion: Learning and Reception Theories
Classical Conditioning:Associate objects with existing positive/negative feelings.
Self-Persuasion:Persuasion relies on favorable self-generated thoughts (e.g., imagining being popular by drinking Budweiser).
Classic Processes of Persuasion: Meta-Cognition
Confidence in your thoughts increases their influence (self-validation theory).
What is Meta-Cognition without the help of ABC (on final)
Confidence in your thoughts increases their influence (self-validation theory).
more confidence means more likely you would do it.
Classic Processes of Persuasion: Motivational Approaches
Cognitive Consistency:Align behavior with attitudes.
Cognitive Dissonance:Mismatch between attitudes and behavior motivates change.
Which of the following best illustrates classical conditioning in persuasion?
a) A person feels more confident about their decision after generating multiple positive reasons to support it.
b)A person begins to drink Budweiser because their best friend, whom they admire, always drinks it.
c) A person joins a fitness class because they believe it will improve their overall health.
d) A person feels uncomfortable after skipping workouts, prompting them to adjust their behavior.
Correct Answer:b) A person begins to drink Budweiser because their best friend, whom they admire, always drinks it.
Classical conditioning involves associating a neutral object (Budweiser) with an already positive stimulus (admiration for a friend), leading to a favorable attitude toward the neutral object.
Fundamental Processes of Attitude Change: Low vs. High Thought
Central Route: Thoughtful persuasion.
Peripheral Route: Low-thought persuasion using cues (e.g., attractiveness).
Fundamental Processes of Attitude Change: Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
Central Route: Persistent, resistant to change, predicts behavior.
Peripheral Route: Influenced by simple cues, less enduring.
Fundamental Processes of Attitude Change: Practical Implications
Critical for increasing physical activity and promoting health behaviors.
