Understanding Attitudes in Psychology

Questions and Answers

What do attitudes primarily consist of?

Values, Behaviours, and Emotions

Feelings, Actions, and Knowledge

Beliefs, Feelings, and Behaviours (correct)

Beliefs, Feelings, and Opinions

How do values influence behaviour according to the content?

Through their influence on attitudes (correct)

Through social interactions and norms

Directly through actions taken towards objects

By altering cognitive processes

What characterizes symbolic attitudes?

Based on recent experiences and factual evaluations

Focused on the direct benefits and costs of an object

Influenced by long-standing values and high emotional intensity (correct)

Formed through logical reasoning and analysis

What is instrumental attitudes primarily focused on?

Direct benefits and costs associated with the object Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is NOT mentioned as a way in which attitudes are formed?

Social Learning Theory Signup and view all the answers

According to self-perception theory, how do we infer our attitudes?

By observing our behaviours Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a key characteristic of values?

They transcend specific situations and are enduring beliefs Signup and view all the answers

What is an attitude not necessarily formed from, according to the content?

Logical reasoning Signup and view all the answers

What does the Knowledge Function of attitudes primarily aim to achieve?

To maintain a stable and organized worldview Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is most likely to enhance the ability of attitudes to predict behavior?

The specificity of attitudes held Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason behind the tendency of attitudes to change when there is inconsistency with behavior?

To avoid cognitive dissonance Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic that can influence the effectiveness of persuasive communication?

Level of education of the speaker Signup and view all the answers

What does the theory of Cognitive Dissonance primarily address?

The discomfort felt from attitude-behavior inconsistencies Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary definition of prejudice as described in the content?

An inaccurate generalization about a group of people Signup and view all the answers

Which of these factors is associated with the Ego-Defense Function of attitudes?

Supporting the self from inner conflict Signup and view all the answers

In what way does the Sleeper Effect relate to persuasive communication?

It shows that people forget the source but remember the message Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Attitudes Overview

Attitudes represent positive or negative evaluations toward objects, including people, events, and issues.
Made up of three components: Beliefs, Feelings, and Behavior; not all components need to be present for an attitude to exist.

Influence of Values

Values are enduring beliefs about life goals such as Peace, Wisdom, Equality, and Happiness.
Values play a role in influencing behavior through their impact on attitudes.
Research indicates values shape attitudes, which in turn dictate behavior.

Types of Attitudes

Symbolic Attitudes: Formed by long-standing values internalized early in life; often unresponsive to rational arguments and charged with emotional intensity.
Instrumental Attitudes: Based on direct benefits or costs of the attitude object, focusing on its utility rather than relation to values.

Formation of Attitudes

Attitudes can be formed through:
- Mere Exposure
- Classical Conditioning
- Rewards and Punishment
- Self Perception Theory, which posits behavior can often reveal underlying attitudes.

Functions of Attitudes

Knowledge Function: Aids individuals in forming a stable view of the world.
Ego-Defense Function: Acts as a defense mechanism to shield the self from inner conflict and unpleasant truths.

Attitude-Behavior Prediction

Specific attitudes predict behavior more accurately than general attitudes.
Factors affecting prediction include:
- Time
- Attitude Strength, influenced by information, personal involvement, and direct experience.
- Attitude Accessibility.

Attitude and Behavior Change

Cognitive dissonance suggests that when attitudes and behaviors conflict, individuals may change attitudes to align with behavior.
Discomfort arising from cognitive dissonance motivates behavior adjustments to reduce dissonance.

Persuasion and Attitude Change

Persuasion involves altering another person's attitudes using arguments and strategic communication.
Key characteristics affecting persuasive communication include:
- Speaker Attributes: Credibility (with a phenomenon known as the Sleeper Effect), attractiveness, and intent.
- Listener Attributes: Intelligence, need for social approval, self-esteem, audience size, and gender.

Prejudice and Stereotypes

Prejudice refers to harmful attitudes formed through inaccurate generalizations about groups based on traits like skin color, religion, or age.

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Description

This quiz explores the concept of attitudes, including their definitions, components, and how they influence behavior. Test your knowledge on how beliefs, feelings, and actions interact to form attitudes towards people, objects, and events.