Chapter 05 Attitudes

Evaluating and Responding To The

Social World
Attitude
Attitude is evaluative statements about something
either positive or negative
It describes an individual’s feelings, thoughts and
act toward some object in the environment.

i.e Smoking is unhealthy, feels disgusted when people smoke

around her, and avoids being in situations where people
smoke.
Components of
Attitude
Cognitive • I believe spiders are dangerous

Attitude
Affective • I am scared of spiders

• I will avoid spiders and scream if

Behavioral I see one.
Explicit
Attitude
Explicit attitudes [Deliberate , Controlled & Conscious]
Attitudes that are at the conscious level, are deliberately
formed and are easy to self-report.
You met with a person who wears shirt of your favorite team.
You decide you already like this person and you start friendly
conversation and set a plan to meet again.

Why Explicit??
Your attitude is at the conscious level, was deliberately formed
and you are able to tell someone else about your attitude.
Implicit
Attitude
Implicit attitudes [Automatic, Unconscious , Spontaneous ]
Attitudes that are at unconscious level and are
formed automatically and guide your thinking and behavior.
While walking with friends you vaguely notice some of the
strangers around but you haven’t meet anyone.

You talk with your friends but feel extremely uncomfortable. Maybe
your friend even notices and asks what's wrong, but you have no idea.
Attitude Formation: How Attitude
Develops
Many of us have attitudes about following issues:

But where, precisely, did these views come from? From Your own
experience, from the people around or exposure via media.
Are they flexible and likely to change across time?
Mean By Which Attitudes Are
Formed
1. Classical Conditioning
2. Instrumental Conditioning
3. Observational Learning
1. Classical
Learning Based: On
Conditioning
Association
Classical Conditioning: Learning by association

One stimulus become

signal of other
 Similar is happened in Attitude
Formation
Advertisers are also create positive attitudes towards their products.
Two Routes of Classical
Conditioning
1. Direct
2. Indirect

Direct Conditioning: Lots of celebrities repeatedly paired

with the product and purpose is to directly transfer the
affect towards the brand.
[Product Remember  Celebrity]
Indirect Conditioning: Whenever celebrity is thought of, the product
too will come in mind.
Subliminal
Conditioning
Active stimulus that are unconsciously in mind and form attitude
towards object.
What does this logo
represent ???
Illusion of Truth
Effect
“Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”

 Repetition information creates a sense of

familiarity
of and more positive attitude.
 Information that is repeated is believed to be true.
2. Instrumental
Conditioning: Rewards
for the Conditioning:
Instrumental “Right”[Reward
Views or Punishment]
Hold such views strongly for which we have received any reward
in the past.
 Voice attitudes that are rewarded by the people.
 Such attitudes will be strengthen more and more.

Your views on child marriages?

If in the past you’ve discussed this issue in class and got
appreciation, you’ll tend to exhibit same attitude for that you’re
rewarded.
Reward or Punishment can
influence
Reward attitude
can be: Smile, Approval, Appreciation
Punishment: Taunt, Rejection, Criticize etc
As we enter in New Social
Networks and our prior attitude may or
may not be supported.
Do we change our attitude?
Family vs Friends
Some of attitudes changes because of New
Social Networks.
Sometimes, rather than to change attitude over
joining new social network.

We consciously express different opinion to

different social groups
i.e Politicians
Liberal vs Conservative
3. Observational
Learning: Learning by
Exposure to Others
Observational Learning: A basic of learning in which
individuals acquire new forms of behavior as result of
observing others.
People adopt attitude that they hear from others
around, may be TV Interviews, Panel Discussions,
Teachers etc

 May be Positive or Negative Attitude

towards something
Why do people adopt attitudes that they hear
from others ?

Because of Social Comparison:

We compare in our attitude whether our view of social reality is
correct or not!
If others hold same views we infer our attitude is right.
Do we really adopt everyone's view or adopt
on the basis of relationship to them?

People often adjust their attitudes which is

closer to whom they want to be
identified.
Reference
Group:
Group of people with whom we identify and whose
opinions we value
i.e In choosing what clothing to buy and wear, we typically
refer to those around us who lie in the group of “Stylish
Friends”
We try to identified by them.
This book has defined Attitude & Behavior bit
separately.

Attitude = Cognitive + Feeling

Behavior = Action
When and Why Do Attitudes
Influence Behavior ?
Do attitudes lead us to particular behavior ?

What person thinks and what he/she actually does,

sometimes differs!
Example:
You’re thinking and feeling bad about “Gambling” but even
though you’re involved in GAMBLING!
Role of Social Context in the Link
Between Attitudes and
Behavior
You might have experienced a gap between your own
attitude and behavior on many occasions.

We are consciously aware of our choice that we are

not acting upon “TRUE ATTITUDE”
Attitude Across the time (Stable
Attitude)
People become more certain about their attitudes on
different issues- as they move on to different stages of life
(age)

Older people show more consistency in their attitudes as

compared to younger people!
 Example of Pluralistic
Ignorance
You went out with friends for the dinner. And
all of your friends have ordered “Chinese Dish”.
After few bites you realized its’ taste is not
good and you’re not expressing because you
think others are liking it.
In fact they are also not liking taste but afraid
to speak.
Pluralistic
Ignorance
Pluralistic ignorance occurs when people mistakenly infer
that they feel differently from the people around, even
though their attitudes are similar towards same object.
But no one is expressing and you are also afraid to express.
Strengths of
Attitude
Strong attitudes are those that are firmly held and that
highly influence behavior. [ How much firm attitude is? ]

Strength of attitude can be assessed how quickly, regularly

and easily it comes to mind.
i.e Many people’s attitude toward their own nation
in universally positive.
 Attitude become more strengthen when components of Attitude are
“Aligned”

❶ Cognitive: You believe physical activity is good for health !

❷ Affective: You may feel negative about exercise because you

[Negative] prefer to engage in task that provide immediate rewards!

❸ Behavioral: And consequently you may not exercise!

 Firm Attitude:
Doing phone call while driving save office time, and feel
happy when people use phone while driving.

You love to be in situations where people exhibit such

behavior.
Strength of Attitude
derive
1. Attitude Extremity
from:
2. Attitude Certainty
3. Personal Experience
1. Attitude Extremity – Role of
IfVested Interests
government reinforce law and strictly deal with
people
who use cell phone while driving. [Charge heavy penalties]
“Government
If your attitudeis isjust
so generating revenues
firm what would and mocking
be your position
people for no cause”
Vested Interest = Saves Your Time
 And you come up with arguments that “favors your attitude”.
i.e Driving time is utilized for setting appointments and that will improve my
performance .
2. Attitude Certainty: Importance Clarity
and Correctness

Attitude Clarity
Attitude Certainty (Clear about)
(Confidence) Attitude Correctness
(Consensus is high or low )
3. Role of Personal
Experience
Level of involvement with the issue [Directly].
When people are more involved with the issue (on which they are
showing attitude) their importance toward particular issue will
strengthen the attitude .

 If you’ve never used cell phone while driving, you may give a
little importance to the issue.
 How Do Attitudes Guide
Behavior
Attitude seem to?
influence behavior through two different
mechanisms:
1. Careful Thought to our attitudes
2. Spontaneous Behavioral Reactions
1. Attitudes Arrived at Through
Reasoned
Theory Thought
of Reasoned Action: [Theory of Planned Behavior]
The decision to engage in a particular behavior is the result of rational
processes.
You consider behavioral options:
 Consequences or outcome of each behavior is evaluated
 Decision to either act or not
 Behavioral Intentions are developed
 Consider ability to perform as well
 Subjective norms [People’s perception either approve or not ]
Planned Behavior-
Example
A smoker might believe that it’s very likely he will gain
Attitude unwanted weight if he quits smoking.

Subjective Norm Smoker might believe that society disapproves of smoking and
(Social Norms) therefore approves of quitting.
A smoker determines that if he quits there will be withdrawal
Behavioral symptoms, but he is confident that his new daily walking regimen will
Intentions help.

Ability to Perform He can quit smoking slowly and gradually.

Consequences Positive Outcome
Decision Yes or No
2. Attitudes and Spontaneous
Behavioral
Act quickly in andReactions
the reactions are more spontaneous in
particular situation. (Rather than careful & more effortful
thinking)

Behavior would be direct, faster and seemingly automatic.

Your response will be more situational:
1) This person may be in big hurry! Your Interpretation to Situation
2) This person is stupid!
3) Person doesn’t know driving rule! “May Show Different Behavior”
4) May be trying to suicide!
Hab
it
Repeatedly performing a specific behavior
so responses become relatively automatic.

 40% of people’s daily activities are performed

each day in almost same situations
[ Source: Society for Personality and
Social Psychology ]
The Fine Art of Persuasion:
How Attitudes Are Changed
Persuasion:
Effort to change others’ attitudes through
the use of various kinds of messages.
In our daily life we are also pursue by many things:
- Television (Ads, Talk shows, Interviews)
- Social Media
- Magazines & Ads (Print Ads, Billboards etc)
Elements Of Persuasion
1. Communicators [ Person Delivering Message ]
2. Message It Self [ Message ]
3. Audiences [ To Whom You Target to Pursue ]

4. Context /Channel
1.
COMMUNICATO
Credibility of Communicator: (Expertise +
Trustworthiness)
Expertise: Relevant Knowledge & Experience
R
Trustworthiness: Express honest opinion, Lacks or no
ulterior motive
i.e Television Commercials for Clothing - Often use fashion
models and Celebrities for advertisement.
Teacher, Engineer or Doctor?

Communicator who are more attractive or more persuasive

 2. MESSAGE
ITSELF
 The
Content
[Quality of
Argument]
 Logical, Consistent, and factual
based
 Style [Starting with negativity or positivity]
 Organizati [Well/Poor –structured:
on Comprehensiveness]
Messages that are not defined to change the attitudes are
often more successful.
i.e Salesperson comes to your home for pursing you to purchase
Mobile Phone ??
3. AUDIENCE
[Recipient]
Mood [Positive or Negative]

Prior Knowledge: [About particular object]

Personality Traits: [Doubt ]

 4. CONTEXT /
CHANNEL
Social Setting
[Office, Classroom, Market]
 Overcrowded or Calm
Environment
Channel:
Social Media, Electronic Media
Written / Verbal/ Audiovisual
Using Fear to Encourage
Change
Fear Appeal: Messages that are intended to arouse fear in
the recipient.
 May be by giving threat of health, financial loss etc
i.e In order to sustain scholarship maintain 3.00 CGPA
 20% Flat sale on each
Message:
products End Tomorrow
If you don’t do this you’ll look
old
Social Messages [Fear
Based]
Positive vs. Negative
Framing
Positive Frame:
A positive frame would “Report the percentage of people who did not die”.
Negative Frame:
A negative frame would be to “Report the percentage of people who died”.
Impact of Negative & Positive
Framing
Positive Frame: “How to attain a good health”
Negative Frame: “What not to do to avoid bad health”

Positive: Negative:
 Create Hope  Keep the attention of users
 Positive Feelings  Create Sense of Urgency
 Long-term Impact  Grab attention for shorter
period of time.
THE COGNITIVE PROCESSES UNDERLYING
PERSUASION
How do we process the information
contained in persuasive messages?

How we ABSORB, INTERPRET and

EVALUATE
Ways of
Processing
1. SYSTEMATIC PROCESSING [Central Route To
Persuasion]

2. HEURISTC PROCESSING [Peripheral Route To Persuasion]

Systematic vs. Heuristic
Processing
Systematic: Processing of information in a persuasive
message that involves careful consideration of message
content and ideas. [Effortful & time consuming]
 Systematically analyze the merits and demerits of a
argument.
given
Heuristic: Using mental shortcuts to interpret
persuasive massage. i.e If it feels good to me currently 
Then its good
Heuristic vs Systematic
Process CURRENT FEELING
Examp
le:
A person asked to donate in traditional way, you may quickly dig into pocket
and give out! And later realized I am only left with few money. How I will reach
home now!
Theory of Persuasion:
Elaboration- Likelihood
Model
There Are[ELP]
Two Routes of Processing:
1. Central Route to Persuasion:
It requires a great dealof careful
listening, thinking and decoding the logic behind
message.
- If Abilities & Motivation is highyou’ll
process information via Central Route.
2. Peripheral Route to Persuasion: [Secondary Route]
The peripheral route is weak and the involvement of the
receiver will be low.
People are Persuaded by Superficial Things i.e celebrity.
i.e “Expert is saying this” he must be right!
No focus on Message Content Rather focus on Physical
Features, Attractiveness or favorite personality.
Central vs.
Peripheral
Depends Upon:
1. Message Importance
2. Ability to Understand [Jargon)
3. Level of Motivation
Outcome: Processing Capacity [High or Low]
 Attitude Change
Message Central Route
Depends on
Importance: Careful Processing
Strength of
Processing Capacity of Information in
Arguments in
High Message
Message

Persuasiv
e
Message Attitude Change
Peripheral Route
Depends on
Message Heuristic Processing
Presence of Cues,
Unimportance: of Information in
Which trigger
Processing Capacity Message
Heuristic Processing
Low
 Argument Strength  Affect Persuasion [Systematic]

Peripheral Cues  Affect Persuasion

[Heuristic]

*Argument Strength: Facts & Figures, Logic Based

*Peripheral Cues: Features, Attractiveness, or Expertise
(Factors Other than Message Content)
Central Route or Peripheral ??
Decide
You are a college student listening to a speech about why
the cost of tuition should be increased the following year. If
you are attending next year, it's likely this subject would be
important to you, and so you would listen closely to the
argument. Obviously, you would probably not want the
tuition to increase. However, if you find the argument to be
convincing - say, if you were going to receive a substantial
number of benefits - you may change your attitude.
Identif
y ? you are listening to a debate between two political
Imagine
candidates. It is long and boring, and you zone out for a bit.
At the end, though, you favor one particular candidate
because he seems more likable and has a warm, soothing
voice. Your attitude toward the candidate has changed even
though you were not paying attention to what he was
saying.
His appearance and voice were peripheral cues that you (likely unconsciously)
used as a mental shortcut to determine his likability.
Resisting Persuasion
Attempts
Have you ever known someone,
perhaps a young person, who
seemed to do exactly the opposite
of what he or she was asked to do?
Reverse Psychology- Children or Adults
Reason
Is…?
They generally consider that
as threatto their Perceived
Personal Freedom-Reactance
Perceive Threat to Personal
Freedom

Protect Personal Freedom

Forewarning: Prior Knowledge of
Persuasive Intent
Advance knowledge that one is about to become the
target of an attempt at persuasion.

Forewarning provides opportunity to formulate counterarguments

- those that refute the message and lessen the impact on attitude.

[It often increases resistance to the persuasion that follows]

When you turn on TV  And you expect there would
be lot of commercials that will try to persuade you to
purchase various products.

You may form attitude that whatsoever Ad come 

I’ll ignore because they manipulate the
facts.
 Political
Speech
You’re pursued even if you haven’t
received the message.
Either in favor or Against

Because you know they are coming to pursue you for “Votes”
If you know these people will just “Pay Lip Service”
You may have strong counter arguments -> Resist
Selective Avoidance of
Persuasion
Selective Avoidance:
To direct attention away from information that
challenges existing attitudes.

 This avoidance will increase resistance to

persuasion
Exam
pledislike a person at work. You avoid walking by his/
You
her desk. When people talk about him/her, You say nothing.

Whenever parents ask you “How is the study going”

You change the topic.

Turning the Sound Off during TV Commercials.

Selective
Exposure:
You pay attention to only that persuasive message that is
favorable to you.
 You listen which is aligned to your attitudes.
Actively Defending Our
Attitudes
Generate Counterarguments to refute opposing
position
Individual Differences in Resistance to
Persuasion
Some people resist because they are motivated to
engage in counterarguments.
[People who love to argue and feel pleasure]

And they tend not to change the attitude!

Ego Depletion Can Undermine
Resistance
When our capacity to self regulate has been
reduced because of prior expenditure of limited resources.

Ego depletion increase persuasion  Undermine Resistance

CHAPTER COMPLETED 