Psychology Chapter on Attitudes and Dissonance

Functions of Attitudes

• Implicit attitudes are automatic and unconscious, while explicit attitudes are conscious and deliberate.
• Attitudes can influence behavior, often determining responses to various situations.

Tripartite Model of Attitude Structure

• Affective component: Involves feelings and emotions toward an object or person.
• Behavioral component: Relates to how attitudes influence actions and behaviors.
• Cognitive component: Involves beliefs and thoughts about the object or person.

Effect of Attitudes on Behavior

• Attitudes can guide behaviors and decision-making processes.

Theory of Cognitive Dissonance – Festinger

• Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors, leading to discomfort.
• People tend to avoid situations that cause dissonance, reduce dissonance through changes, or rationalize behaviors to align with beliefs.
• Magnitude of dissonance is influenced by the importance of the conflicting beliefs or behaviors.
• Responses to cognitive dissonance can include:
  • Changing beliefs to reduce discomfort.
  • Altering behaviors to align with beliefs.
  • Adjusting perceptions of the action to alleviate conflict.
• Study by Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) explored cognitive consequences of forced compliance, showing how dissonance influences attitudes.

Attribution Theory

• Explains behavior through two main types of attributions:
  • Situational attributions: Explains behavior based on external factors and circumstances.
  • Dispositional attributions: Attributes behavior to internal characteristics or personality traits.

Social Identity Theory – Tajfel and Turner (1979)

• Social categorization: The process of grouping individuals into social categories based on shared characteristics.
• Social identification: The process by which individuals identify with a particular group, influencing self-esteem and behavior.
• Social comparison: Evaluating one's group by comparing it with others, often leading to favoring one's own group over others.

Functions of Attitudes

• Implicit attitudes are automatic and unconscious, while explicit attitudes are conscious and deliberate.
• Attitudes can influence behavior, often determining responses to various situations.

Tripartite Model of Attitude Structure

• Affective component: Involves feelings and emotions toward an object or person.
• Behavioral component: Relates to how attitudes influence actions and behaviors.
• Cognitive component: Involves beliefs and thoughts about the object or person.

Effect of Attitudes on Behavior

• Attitudes can guide behaviors and decision-making processes.

Theory of Cognitive Dissonance – Festinger

• Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors, leading to discomfort.
• People tend to avoid situations that cause dissonance, reduce dissonance through changes, or rationalize behaviors to align with beliefs.
• Magnitude of dissonance is influenced by the importance of the conflicting beliefs or behaviors.
• Responses to cognitive dissonance can include:
  • Changing beliefs to reduce discomfort.
  • Altering behaviors to align with beliefs.
  • Adjusting perceptions of the action to alleviate conflict.
• Study by Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) explored cognitive consequences of forced compliance, showing how dissonance influences attitudes.

Attribution Theory

• Explains behavior through two main types of attributions:
  • Situational attributions: Explains behavior based on external factors and circumstances.
  • Dispositional attributions: Attributes behavior to internal characteristics or personality traits.

Social Identity Theory – Tajfel and Turner (1979)

• Social categorization: The process of grouping individuals into social categories based on shared characteristics.
• Social identification: The process by which individuals identify with a particular group, influencing self-esteem and behavior.
• Social comparison: Evaluating one's group by comparing it with others, often leading to favoring one's own group over others.