Psychology Chapter on Attitudes and Beliefs

Study Notes

Attitudes are global evaluations of some object or issue; they reflect what we like and dislike.
Beliefs are pieces of information about a person, object, or event. They explain why we have certain attitudes.
Both attitudes and beliefs serve interpersonal functions in influencing others and explaining the world.

Dual attitudes represent two different evaluations of the same object.
One attitude is automatic, a fast, gut-level response, while the other is deliberate, requiring more thoughtful consideration.
Automatic and deliberate attitudes can be inconsistent, for example, harboring unconscious biases while consciously promoting equality.

Unlike most animals with simple needs, humans have a complex world requiring a vast array of attitudes to make choices.
Attitudes help us navigate new situations, seek rewards, and avoid punishments.
They serve as a basic sorting mechanism, categorizing things into "good" and "bad," which are essential for navigating complex life decisions.
The "bad" category is often stronger than the "good" category, reflecting a fundamental psychological principle.
Even the first microsecond of thought involves an initial evaluation of things, which is unconscious and immediate, dictating whether we like or dislike something.

Attitudes are global evaluations towards objects or issues.
Attitudes differ from beliefs, which are pieces of information about objects, people or issues.
Beliefs are for explaining, attitudes are for choosing.
Attitudes influence behavior, for example, a person's attitude toward the environment may predict their recycling and water conservation habits.

Dual attitudes are different evaluations of the same object, held by the same person.
This could be one deliberate attitude, and one automatic attitude.
This aligns with the duplex mind theory, which proposes that people have both automatic (fast) and deliberate (slow) systems of processing.
Automatic attitudes are fast, gut-level responses, while deliberate attitudes are more considered and thought-out responses.
Automatic and deliberate attitudes can sometimes be inconsistent. For example, someone may hold negative automatic responses towards certain ethnicities while consciously advocating for racial equality.

Animals with simple environments need few attitudes, while humans require a broad assortment of attitudes to navigate complex lives.
Attitudes help us to make choices, particularly within a wide range of options.
Attitudes are adaptive and assist us in adjusting to new situations, seeking out rewarding experiences, and avoiding harmful ones.
Attitudes can even be life-or-death, influencing risk-taking behavior.
The world is full of information, but simply understanding it isn't enough.
We need to categorize things into "good" and "bad" to navigate complexities.
Initial evaluations occur quickly, often in the first microsecond of thought.
Negative evaluations are stronger than positive ones in the first instance.