Attitudes
An evaluation about some part of the social world. The ABCs of attitudes:
– Attitudes influence Affect – Attitudes influence Behavior – Attitudes influence Cognition – Key: Attitudes are evaluative!
Measuring Attitudes
• Measuring the ABC of attitudes (e.g., snakes)
– Affect – fear, heart rate – Behavior - avoidance – Cognition - dangerous
• Reported attitudes can be influenced by social desirability concerns (e.g. modern racist scale, attitudes towards drinking)
How Do Attitudes Influence Behavior?
• LaPiere, 1934
– Suggests people aren’t always consistent!
• Attitude - Behavior link is influenced by:
– Aspects of the situation
– Aspects of the attitude
– Past Attitude - Behavior Match
Cognitive Dissonance
• What if attitudes and behavior don’t match? • You have three options:
– . – . – .
• Cognitive Dissonance • An unpleasant internal state when individuals notice inconsistency between two or more of their attitudes or between their attitudes and their behavior.
Cognitive Dissonance
• Festinger & Carlsmith, 1959
Cognitive Dissonance
• Festinger & Carlsmith, 1959 • The occurrence of dissonance depends on a few things:
– Choosing to exhibit the behavior
• Leads to Spreading Alternatives: People rate the chosen option more favorably and the notchosen option less favorably.
Spreading Alternatives
Brehm
Change in Liking of Chosen Item
Items Disparate Value (low dissonance)
Items of Close Value (high dissonance)
Item was a gift (no choice, no dissonance)
Note: Higher numbers indicate more attitude change.
Change in Liking of Nonchosen Item
Net Change
Choice causes people to change their liking of options
Spreading Alternatives
Knox & Inkster
Already Bet
Will Your Horse Win?
Not Yet Bet
Note: Higher numbers indicate higher belief that horse will win.
Spreading Alternatives
Regan
Before Voting
Chances of...
