chapter 7

Question 1

1. attitude

Answer 1

mental representation that summarizes an individuals evaluation of a particular person, group, things, action, or idea

Question 2

1. 4 functions of attitudes

Answer 2

• knowledge function; way an attitude contributes to mastery by organizing, summarizing, and simplifying experience with an attitude object, master the environment
• instrumental function; the way an attitude contributes to mastery by guiding our approach to positive objects and our avoidance of negative objects, master the environment
• social identity function; the way an attitude contributes to connectedness by expressing important self and group identities and functions, gain and maintain connectedness
• impression management function; the way an attitude contributes to connectedness by smoothing interactions and relationships, gain and maintain connectedness

Question 3

1. Next, give an example of an attitude and explain how the same attitude can serve both mastery and connectedness needs.

Answer 3

mastery: being accurate
connectedness: relations with others
example of an attitude:

Question 4

2. cognitive information

Answer 4

the facts people know and the beliefs they have about an attitude object

Question 5

2. affective information

Answer 5

people’s feelings and emotions about the object

Question 6

2. behavioral information

Answer 6

knowledge about people’s past, present or future interactions with the attitude object

Question 7

2. Illustrate these differences by relating each to the decision to vote for a particular political candidate.

Answer 7

When deciding who to vote for in a political office, people base their judgements on facts and beliefs about a particular candidate, cognitive information. They also turn to their emotional compass, affective information, as well as what they know about how the candidate’s past and their promises to the future, behavioral information.