Chapter 4: AttitudesChapter 4: Attitudes

AttitudesAttitudes

Evaluations of any aspect of our social world. Automobiles Abortion President Bush

Why Study Attitudes?Why Study Attitudes?

Attitudes are important because they: strongly influence our social thought

help to organize and evaluate stimuli (e.g., categorizing stimuli as positive or negative)

presumably have a strong affect on behavior help to predict people’s behavior in wide range of

contexts (e.g., voting, interpersonal relations)

4.5Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon

AttitudesAttitudes

How are attitudes formed? Do attitudes influence behavior? How are messages persuasive? Can our behavior influence our attitudes?

4.4Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon

Attitude StructureAttitude StructureA

ffec

t

BehaviorC

ognition

Gun Control

Affect: “Guns make me sick!”

Behavior: “I vote for gun controlwhenever possible.”

Cognition: “Guns in the house increase the likelihood of childrenaccidentally shooting themselves.”

Attitude FormationAttitude Formation

social learning- acquire attitudes from others classical conditioning- learning based on association

subliminal conditioning- without awareness instrumental conditioning- learn to hold the “right”

views observational learning- learning by observing

actions of others and exposure to mass media

4.6Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon

Attitude Formation (con’t)Attitude Formation (con’t)

social comparison- compare ourselves to others to determine if our view of reality is correct attitudes are shaped by social information from others

we like or respect genetic factors- inherited general dispositions

(e.g., see world in a positive or negative light) highly heritable attitudes and gut-level preferences

(music) are especially influenced

4.7Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon

SummarySummary

Attitudes are evaluations of any aspect of our social world

Attitudes are often learned Attitudes are also formed through social

comparison New research suggests attitudes are

influenced by genetic factors

Attitude-Behavior LinkAttitude-Behavior Link

Attitudes do not always predict behavior LaPiere (1934) found that virtually all businesses

served Chinese couple courteously, yet most owners held negative attitudes

Sun-worshippers know the dangers of exposure to the sun, yet they tan anyway “looking good” attitude takes precedence over

attitudes toward personal health

4.8Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon

Forward

LaPiere StudyLaPiere Study

100%

8%

99%

9%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Restaurants Hotels, Motels

Would you serve Chinese people?

Back

Moderators of A-B LinkModerators of A-B Link Aspects of the situation

situational constraints (e.g., sparing one’s feelings) may prevent us from expressing our true attitudes

often we choose situations where we can engage in behaviors consistent with our attitudes

Aspects of attitudes origins- how attitudes were formed strength- intensity, importance, accessibility specificity- general vs. specific

4.9Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon

How Do Attitudes Influence Behavior?How Do Attitudes Influence Behavior?

Theory of planned behavior (considered) intentions are a function of attitudes toward behavior,

subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control Attitude-to behavior process model (impulsive)

attitudes spontaneously shape our behavior of situation Prototype/willingness model (risky)

behavior is a function of attitudes toward behavior, subjective norms, behavior intentions, willingness to engage in specific form of behavior, and prototypes

4.10Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon

Theory of Planned BehaviorTheory of Planned Behavior

Attitudes

SubjectiveNorms

PerceivedBehavioral

Control

BehavioralIntentions

Behavior

Back

Attitude to Behavior Process ModelAttitude to Behavior Process Model

Event Attitude

Perception ofEvent

SocialNorms

Behavior

Back

Prototype/Willingness ModelPrototype/Willingness Model

PreviousBehavior

Attitude

BehavioralIntentions

BehavioralWillingness

SubjectiveNorms

Prototype

Behavior

Back

SummarySummary Several factors moderate the link between attitudes and

behaviors. Situational constraints may prevent us from expressing

our attitudes. We often engage in activities that allow us to express our

attitudes. Attitude formation, attitude strength, and attitude

specificity also moderate the A-B link. Attitudes influence behavior through several

mechanisms.

Attitude StructureAttitude StructureA

ffec

t

BehaviorC

ognition

Gun Control

Affect: “Guns make me sick!”

Behavior: “I vote for gun controlwhenever possible.”

Cognition: “Guns in the house increase the likelihood of childrenaccidentally shooting themselves.”

Attitude FunctionsAttitude Functions

Knowledge function attitudes help organize and evaluate information

Self-expression function attitudes help people express central values or beliefs

Self-esteem function attitudes help people build and maintain self-esteem

Cognitive Approach to Attitude ChangeCognitive Approach to Attitude Change Persuasion

efforts to change attitudes through various kinds of messages.

Early persuasion research focused on: The communicator (source) What they said (message) Who was listening (audience)

Research suggests there are two routes through which information is processed The Elaboration-Likelihood Model

Elaboration-Likelihood ModelElaboration-Likelihood Model

Messageunimportant,uninteresting

Heuristicprocessing

Nonverbalcues

important

Argumentstrength

unimportant

Messageimportant,interesting

Systematicprocessing

Nonverbalcues

unimportant

Argumentstrength

important

Peripheral Route

Central Route

Source and Message CharacteristicsSource and Message Characteristics

Important Nonverbal Cues Credibility

expertise trustworthiness

Attractiveness Speaking style

Important Message Characteristics soft sell is often better than over persuasion if audience is skeptical- use two-sided message

Factors Influencing Factors Influencing Information ProcessingInformation Processing

We tend to use systematic processing when: we are strongly motivated

accuracy motivation impression motivation defensive motivation

we have a high ability to do so We tend to use heuristic processing when:

we are unmotivated we lack the ability to systematically process info

Is Resistance Futile? Audience EffectsIs Resistance Futile? Audience Effects

When systematic processing occurs, it is our reaction to the message that counts. - reactance forewarning- prior knowledge of persuasion

increase arguments for and counterarguments against

selective avoidance- avoid contradictory info. channel surf, tune out certain info.

biased assimilation- perceive information that disconfirms our views as unreliable

attitude polarization- interpret mixed evidence in ways that strengthen existing views

Summary: ELMSummary: ELM

Analytical

&

Motivated

High effortElaborate

AgreeCounter-

argue

Strong arguments

cause enduring agreement

Notanalytical

orinvolved

Low effort:Use

peripheralcues,

heuristics

Cuestriggerliking

&acceptance

PersuasiveAppeal

Response

Audience Processing Persuasion

CentralRoute

PeripheralRoute

Behavioral Approach to Attitude ChangeBehavioral Approach to Attitude Change

Cognitive Dissonance- unpleasant state resulting from inconsistency between attitudes and behavior

Dissonance can occur in a number of ways Selecting between two reasonably attractive alternatives Lying (Engaging in counterattitudinal behavior)

4.15Baron & Byrne- Social Psychology 9/e, Allyn and Bacon

Back

$20Told next persontasks were funand interesting

$1

BoringTasks

Told next persontasks were funand interesting

Asked how much they

enjoyed experiment

Induced Compliance StudyInduced Compliance Study

Festinger & Carlsmith Study Festinger & Carlsmith Study ResultsResults

-0.45

1.35

-0.05

-2

-1

0

1

2

En

joym

ent

of t

he

Tas

k

Control Condition $1 Condition $20 Condition

Reward Conditions

Reducing Cognitive DissonanceReducing Cognitive Dissonance Ways to reduce dissonance (e.g., “dieter binges”)

Direct methods change attitude to be consistent with behavior

“diets don’t really work anyway”

acquire supporting information “many overweight people live long healthy lives”

trivialize the behaviors in question “looking thin is not all that important”

Indirect methods restore positive self-evaluations

“I like the way I look, regardless of my weight”

distractions

Affective Approach to Attitude ChangeAffective Approach to Attitude Change

Inducing fear - works best when you also offer advice or coping strategy (how to avoid danger) cigarette smoking condom usage drinking and driving

Inducing good feelings enhance positive thinking

unhappy people think more before making decisions “rose colored glasses”

associate message with good feelings