Attitudes

Definition: a favorable or unfavorable evaluative reaction

ABC's of attitudes

Affect Component

Behavioral Component

Cognitive Component

Do attitudes predict behavior?

Explanations: Measurement Issues

1. Are subjects telling the truth?

2. Levels of Measurement Specificity

• Levels of Measurement include:

a. Action (performed)

b Target (at which action is directed)

c. Context (in which action is directed)

d. Time (within which action takes place)

Explanations/Theoretical Issues:

1. Attitude accessibility

• -bring the attitude to mind

• -how attitude was developed: Direct vs. Indirect

• -affective-cognitive consistency

• -Self-monitoring

• -Self-awareness

Does our Behavior determine our Attitudes

Evidence from:

Foot-in-the-door-phenomena

• a. Freedman & Fraser, 1966:

procedure: -are you pro-safe driving, will you advertise?

-sign petition

-will you advertise?

• Dolin & Booth, 1995:

procedure: -FITD vs control group

-bse card vision test

-gyn. Exam gyn. Exam

Role playing

• Mann, 1965

procedure: -Attitudes toward smoking

-smokers asked to role play cancer victims vs. Info

• Newell & Shrub, 1994:

procedure: -Attitudes toward body image

-role play non-eating disordered patients

Explanations:

Self-presentation

Self-Justification/Cognitive Dissonance

Self-Perception theory