Behavior and AttitudesBehavior and AttitudesChapter 4Chapter 4

David MyersDavid Myers

Behavior and AttitudesBehavior and AttitudesHow well do attitudes predict behavior?How well do attitudes predict behavior?When does behavior affect attitudes?When does behavior affect attitudes?Why does behavior affect attitudes?Why does behavior affect attitudes?

Behavior and Attitudes Behavior and Attitudes AttitudesAttitudes – evaluative reactions toward an entity that – evaluative reactions toward an entity that are exhibited in your beliefs, feelings, and/or actions are exhibited in your beliefs, feelings, and/or actions ABC’s of Attitudes ABC’s of Attitudes - Affect, Behavior, Cognition- Affect, Behavior, Cognition

Do Attitudes Determine Do Attitudes Determine Behavior? Behavior?

Do Attitudes Determine Behavior or Are We Do Attitudes Determine Behavior or Are We Hypocrites? Hypocrites? Most incorrectly feel that to change behaviors you must first Most incorrectly feel that to change behaviors you must first

change attitudeschange attitudes Studies show that people’s attitudes don’t predict their Studies show that people’s attitudes don’t predict their

actions very well actions very well Politicians Politicians (2008 Election)(2008 Election)

ReligionReligionHonestyHonestyRaceRaceSexSex (Abstinence Only Programs)(Abstinence Only Programs)

When Do Attitudes Predict Behaviors?When Do Attitudes Predict Behaviors?

Minimizing Social Influences Minimizing Social Influences When Social Influences are Minimal (e.g. conformity) - When Social Influences are Minimal (e.g. conformity) -

Bogus Pipelines, Implicit Association TestsBogus Pipelines, Implicit Association Tests When Situational Influences are MinimalWhen Situational Influences are Minimal– attitudes are – attitudes are

better predictors of average behaviors rather than isolated better predictors of average behaviors rather than isolated actsacts

Specific AttitudesSpecific Attitudes - are better predictors of behavior than - are better predictors of behavior than general ones general ones

Potent AttitudesPotent Attitudes – – stronger accessible attitudes are better stronger accessible attitudes are better predictors of behaviorpredictors of behavior

Do Behaviors Determine Do Behaviors Determine Attitudes? Attitudes?

Festinger’s Attitude TheoryFestinger’s Attitude Theory – changing one’s – changing one’s behaviors will lead to changes in attitudes behaviors will lead to changes in attitudes RolesRoles - can lead to dramatic changes in attitudes - can lead to dramatic changes in attitudes

Do Behaviors Determine Attitudes?Do Behaviors Determine Attitudes?

Stanford Prison ExperimentStanford Prison Experiment

Do Behaviors Determine Attitudes?Do Behaviors Determine Attitudes?Saying Becomes Believing EffectSaying Becomes Believing Effect – we adjust our message to – we adjust our message to the audience and then believe it more ourselves the audience and then believe it more ourselves

Foot-in-the-Door PhenomenonFoot-in-the-Door Phenomenon – the tendency to comply with a – the tendency to comply with a larger request after having previously agreed to a small requestlarger request after having previously agreed to a small request

Cialdini’s Low-Ball TechniqueCialdini’s Low-Ball Technique – people who agree to an initial – people who agree to an initial request will still agree when the stakes are higherrequest will still agree when the stakes are higher

Evil and Moral Acts and Attitude Evil and Moral Acts and Attitude Change Change

Harmful/Evil Acts – Harmful/Evil Acts – minor acts of harm makes it easier minor acts of harm makes it easier to commit larger acts later onto commit larger acts later onMoral ActsMoral Acts - chosen moral action also leads to attitude - chosen moral action also leads to attitude change change Interracial Attitudes & Behaviors Interracial Attitudes & Behaviors Social MovementsSocial Movements

Why Do Actions Affect Attitudes? Why Do Actions Affect Attitudes?

Self Presentation Theory: Impression ManagementSelf Presentation Theory: Impression Management we express attitudes that match our actions in order we express attitudes that match our actions in order

to appear consistent to appear consistent Self-monitoringSelf-monitoring - attention one gives to situations - attention one gives to situations

and corresponding self-presentations and corresponding self-presentations

Why Do Actions Affect Attitudes?Why Do Actions Affect Attitudes?Self-justification Theory: Cognitive DissonanceSelf-justification Theory: Cognitive Dissonance – we – we are motivated to maintain cognitive consistency are motivated to maintain cognitive consistency Festinger ‘s Cognitive Dissonance TheoryFestinger ‘s Cognitive Dissonance Theory – we feel – we feel

tension when two thoughts or beliefs are tension when two thoughts or beliefs are inconsistent with one another inconsistent with one another

Insufficient JustificationInsufficient Justification – altering one’s attitude – altering one’s attitude when there is a lack of justification for a behaviorwhen there is a lack of justification for a behavior

deedee

Self-justification Theory: Cognitive Self-justification Theory: Cognitive DissonanceDissonance

Dissonance & DecisionsDissonance & Decisions – choosing between equally – choosing between equally appealing options causes dissonance appealing options causes dissonance

Reduce dissonance by upgrading your choice and Reduce dissonance by upgrading your choice and downgrading the unchosen optiondowngrading the unchosen option

Why Do Actions Affect Attitudes?Why Do Actions Affect Attitudes?Self-Perception TheorySelf-Perception Theory - when unsure of our attitudes - when unsure of our attitudes we infer them by self-observationwe infer them by self-observation Expressions and Attitudes Expressions and Attitudes – manipulating facial muscles – manipulating facial muscles

causes students to report anger or happinesscauses students to report anger or happiness MimicryMimicry -Mirroring others allows us to experience their feelings -Mirroring others allows us to experience their feelings

Overjustification EffectOverjustification Effect – rewarding someone for doing – rewarding someone for doing something they like will cause them to lose interestsomething they like will cause them to lose interest

Unanticipated rewards or rewards that make one feel good Unanticipated rewards or rewards that make one feel good don’t diminish intrinsic appeal or motivationdon’t diminish intrinsic appeal or motivation

Self-Justification or Self-Perception?Self-Justification or Self-Perception?

Dissonance TheoryDissonance Theory appears to explain attitude change appears to explain attitude changeSelf-perception TheorySelf-perception Theory explains attitude formations. explains attitude formations.