Implicit vs Explicit Attitudes Quiz

Attitude Measures and Theories

• Implicit Association Test (IAT) uses reaction times to reveal unconscious attitudes.
• According to the Theory of Reasoned Action, an individual's intention is influenced by attitudes towards the behavior and subjective norms.
• The Foot-in-the-door phenomenon reflects the tendency of people to comply with a large request after agreeing to a small one.

Key Studies and Phenomena

• The Stanford prison experiment involved college students assigned roles of guards and prisoners to study behavior in a simulated environment.
• The door-in-the-face technique describes the tendency for individuals who refuse a large request to comply with a smaller one after denial.

Self-Presentation and Dissonance

• Self-presentation focuses on how behaviors influence attitudes and how individuals project themselves to others.
• Cognitive dissonance refers to the discomfort from holding conflicting attitudes or behaviors.
• The Insufficient Justification effect reduces dissonance when individuals internally justify their actions due to a lack of external justification.

Motivation and Decision-Making

• The Over-justification effect suggests that extrinsic rewards can undermine intrinsic motivation.
• Emotional reactions towards an attitude object are defined in the Tripartite Model of attitudes, encompassing affective, cognitive, and behavioral components.
• After making a choice between two attractive alternatives, individuals often experience dissonance, which may lead to internal justification to alleviate discomfort.

Behavior and Attitudes

• Insufficient Justification effect, demonstrated by Festinger and Carlsmith, shows how individuals justify their behavior when external incentives are inadequate.
• Repeated exposure to a novel stimulus typically leads to more favorable attitudes towards it.
• The principle of aggregation suggests that attitudes impact behavior over time, emphasizing the accumulation of responses rather than isolated incidents.

Predicting Behavior

• Attitudes can predict behavior when they are strong and relevant to the situation.
• The best predictor of a person's behavioral intentions within the theory of planned behavior is their perceived behavioral control.
• Strong attitudes are more likely to guide behavior because they are more accessible and resistant to change.

Self-Concept and Reactions

• 'Self-presentation' involves managing how one is perceived by others.
• Engaging in immoral acts can lead to guilt and a reevaluation of personal morals.
• Cognitive-attitudinal advocacy means promoting beliefs to align attitudes with actions.

Accessibility and Affect

• Chronic accessibility refers to the consistent availability of certain attitudes, while temporary priming highlights context-driven activation of attitudes.
• The key factor influencing whether behavior affects attitudes is the degree of perceived choice in the action taken.
• Self-affirmation provides means for individuals to reinforce their self-worth, helping to reduce cognitive dissonance.

Theory of Uncertainty

• When attitudes and feelings are uncertain, individuals may look to their behavior for cues on their attitudes.
• Cognitive dissonance arises when actions contradict personal beliefs, leading to potential changes in attitude to minimize inconsistencies.
• Dissonance reduction can lead to avoidance of rationalization traps that cloud judgment by soothing conflicting beliefs.

Comparison of Theories

• Self-perception theory explains how individuals infer their attitudes from their behavior, differing from dissonance theory, which emphasizes inconsistency's emotional discomfort.
• Reflecting on past successes or qualities when facing challenges is a self-affirmation strategy aimed at boosting resilience.
• An example of self-perception theory in action is when individuals adopt a healthier lifestyle after engaging in fitness activities.

Influence and Commitment

• Public commitment can significantly influence beliefs as individuals feel compelled to act in accordance with their declared attitudes.
• Committing a cruel act may lead to subsequent justifications in a person's beliefs to align with their self-image or moral standards.