Attitude Formation

Lesson 20-1

Objectives

• Trace the origin of attitudes• Describe the function of attitudes

Attitude

• Attitude-the predisposition to act, think, and feel in particular ways towards a class of people, objects or an idea.

• 3 elements– A belief or opinion about something– Feelings about that thing– Tendency to act in certain ways

Where Attitudes Come From

• Conditioning– Classical conditioning can help you form attitudes

automatically– We acquire attitudes through operant

conditioning• Praise, approval, or acceptance for expressing certain

attitudes or punished for expressing others.

Where Attitudes Come From

• Cognitive Evaluation– Can develop an attitude without even thinking

about it because a friend thinks it’s a good idea• Use a heuristic- a mental shortcut

– On other issues, we may disagree with a friend and choose to think about the issue

Where Attitudes Come From?

• Culture– Influences our taste in food and many other issues

• Parents– Parental influence wanes as children get older

• Peers– People tend to adopt the likes and dislikes of

groups whose approval and acceptance they seek.

Where Attitudes Come From

• Exposure– The more frequently people encounter an object

or idea, the more favorably they evaluate it.

Functions of Attitudes

• Self-Defining Mechanism– Self-concept- how we see our describe ourselves

• Cognitive Guideline and Guide for Action– Attitudes most strongly predict behavior when

acquired through direct experience.

Activity

• Generate a list of 10 statements about social issues, such as political affiliation, nuclear energy, mandatory retirement, equal pay, paternity leave

• Have a 5 point scale where participants can agree or disagree

• Complete questionnaire and then give to parents

Activity

• Create identity boxes