ATTITUDE

NATURE, SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE

PRESENTED BY SATHEESH.D

INTRODUCTION :

Attitudes are not directly observable. Attitudes are inferred from observable responses (we make a judgment that something has happened).

The relevant observations here are evaluative responses that are elicited by certain stimuli, or occur in close conjunction with the attitude object.
If there is an established tendency (consistency?) to respond in a certain way toward an attitude object, the person has formed an attitude toward this object.

Attitude Object

+/- (good/bad) Attitude

Ice cream is good I like ice cream I eat ice cream

Evaluative Responses

DEFINITION
An attitude is an expression of favor or disfavor

toward a person, place, thing, or event (the attitude object).

Attitudes can be viewed as evaluations of various

objects that are stored in memory.

The three Components of Attitude

1.

Cognitive beliefs about what is or is not true with respect to the AO.

2. 3.

Affective feelings / emotions toward the AO. Behavioral tendencies to do certain things with respect to the AO.

Tri-component model
COMPONENT CHARACTERISTICS Affect Cognition Emotional reactions Internalized mental representations, beliefs, thoughts EXAMPLES "I like/hate ..." I think the world should..."

Behavior

Tendency to respond in a particular way "I always do... toward the attitude object

The Nature of Attitudes

An attitude is a cognition (form of thought) that is formed through

experience and influences our behavior. Both parts of this definition are important for our purposes. The fact that attitudes are formed through experience means that we can, potentially, change them. When a persuader gives a message to an auditor (an audience member), that message becomes part of the listeners experience, and it can affect his or her attitudes. The fact that attitudes influence our behavior means that we can use persuasion as a means to achieve our goals -- when the behavior, or actions, or others can help attain those goals. Attitudes have two basic components: beliefs and values. Beliefs are, roughly, statements of facts. Beliefs are potentially verifiable. We say a belief is true or correct when it seems to reflect the world and false or incorrect when it seems contradicted by the world. Values are judgments of worth, like good or bad, useful or useless, expensive or cheap, efficient or inefficient. Together, these cognitions (thoughts), beliefs and values, form attitudes