Social Psychology

Attitudes and Attitude Change

Attitudes

Enduring orientations with cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. Cognitive Affective Behavioral

A favorable or unfavorable evaluative reaction toward something or someone, exhibited in one’s beliefs, feelings or intended behavior

Attitude Development

External Stimuli The Target Intervening Processes The Response

Intervening Process: Learning

Attitudes as Habits – Carl Hovland (1953) Processes

AssociationReinforcement Imitation

Association

Message LearningWeak relationshipsMotivation

Transfer of AffectAssociations between two objects

Reinforcement

Rewarded for attitudes that fit with values of group, society, culture

May initially change behaviorThen accept the underlying value

Reinforcement: Incentive Theory

Adopt attitude that maximizes gains Consider importance and value Cognitive response theory

Respond to proposition with thoughts = attitude

Expectancy value theoryConsider likelihood & value

Imitation

Model our behaviors (and related attitudes) after others

Aronson & O’LearyWater conservation

CialdiniLittering

Intervening Process: Cognitive Consistency

Gestalt influence: Seek coherence

Attitudes must be interpreted in contextBalance theory (Heider, 1958)Cognitive dissonance (Festinger, 1957)

Balance Theory

Key P = Person (self)O = OtherX = Attitude Object

(issue, person, etc.)Unit or Sentiment

Relations+ sign = Link/Like- sign = No Link/Dislike

Triads can be:Balanced = signs

multiply to positive (+)Unbalanced = signs

multiply to negative (-)

P O

X

+ or - + or -

+ or -

Cognitive Dissonance (Leon Festinger)

Cognitions can have 3 relations IrrelevantConsonantDissonant

Dissonance Dissonance = A feeling of discomfort

that is caused by holding 2 or more inconsistent cognitions

Dissonance = # and importance

How do you get rid of it? How do you restore a sense of

consistency? Change your behavior

To be consistent To compensate

Change your cognitions Add consonant cognitions (mis-

remember things, rationalize your behavior)

Alter importance of cognitions

Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Study Example (Festinger & Carlsmith, 1959): Insufficient Justification

Participants are asked to engage in a very boring task

After that, they either: Were told the study was over Were paid $1 to lie to another participant about

the taskWere paid $20 to lie to another participant about

the task Then, participants’ (real) attitudes about the

task were measured

Applications

Therapy Cults

Festinger – “When Prophecy Fails” Daily situations

Self Perception Theory

Bem (1972) Rational cognitive

process Behaviorist Infer attitudes for

others Zanna & Cooper

(1974)

Consistency: Reactions to Discrepancy Modes of resolution

Derogating the sourceDistorting the messageBlanket Rejection

Elaboration Likelihood Model(Petty & Cacioppo, 1986) Two routes

Central Based on thoughtful consideration of facts

Peripheral Based on thoughtless affective evaluations Leads to acceptance of weak messages

Route depends on motivation & opportunity

Controlling Cognitive Responses

Counterarguing Active processing Implicit or explicitVerbal or nonverbal

Depends on quantity and quality

ELM: Communicator

Credibility Expert Trustworthy

Reciprocity Reference

ELM: Communication

Discrepancy Motive arousal

AngerFear

ELM: Target

Ego involvementCommitment Issue involvementResponse involvement

Defense – McGuireSupportive Inoculation

ELM: Situation

Forewarning of position Forewarning of intent Distraction

Cults

Changed norms Gradual Powerful leader Unquestioned authority

Applications

War Token economies Presentations Office politics