AttitudesAttitudesAttitudes in everyday lifeAttitudes in everyday life

Attitudes in everyday lifeAttitudes in everyday life

Attitudes in everyday lifeAttitudes in everyday life

NATURE OF ATTITUDES

ATTITUDES ARE LEARNED

ATTITUDES INDICATE FEELINGS AND BELIEFS OF PEOPLE

FEELINGS AND BELIEFS OF PEOPLE POINTOUT ONES PREDISPOSITIONS ABOUT OBJECTS,PEOPLE AND SELF

ATTITUDES CONTINUE TO REMAIN SAME UNLESS ANINFLUENCE OCCURS

ATTITUDES CAN BE FAVOURABLE OR UNFAVOURABLETOWARDS , SELF, PEOPLE, WORK AND INSTITUTIONS

What is an attitude?What is an attitude?

A mental and neural state of readiness, organised through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence

upon the individual’s response to all objects and situations with which it is related

Allport, 1935

An attitude is a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of

favour or disfavourEagly & Chaiken, 1998

Attitude structureAttitude structure

AFFECTIVE COGNITIVE

BEHAVIOUR

ATTITUDE

ABC Model

Attitude structureAttitude structure

3. A behavioural component (Psychomotor)consisting of actions toward the attitude object.People infer and think by reflecting on what they do.

Cognitive ( C ) ,Affective (A) Psychomotor (P)Domains of behaviour-CAP

1. AFFECTIVE: An emotional component consisting of emotional reactions toward, or feelings about the object.

People arrive at an attitudinal position after consideration of the relevant facts.

2. A cognitive component consisting of thoughts and beliefs about the attitude object.

People form an association between some emotional state and the attitude object – e.g., conditioning, familiarity.

ATTITUDE FORMATIONATTITUDE FORMATION1.Direct experience

2.Classical ConditioningPeople develop association between objects and Emotional reactions. Eg; Tenaliram’s Cat and hot milk

3.Operant ConditioningAdverse action by others curbs an attitude

4.Vicarious learning

5.Family and Peers

6.Social class

7.Mass media

• Some attitudes seem to reflect stable, internal dispositions of the individual– i.e., ‘ways of seeing the world’

• Broad attitudinal dispositions might have a shared genetic basis (Tesser, 1993)

• This is most likely for ‘gut-preferences’:– For example, feelings of disgust at certain smells or

foods

Attitude formation contd. . . Attitude formation contd. . .

Explicit V. Implicit AttitudesExplicit V. Implicit Attitudes

Once we have developed an attitude (an orientation to some object), this attitude can exist in a number of states:

1. Explicit attitudes: – The evaluations we consciously express.

2. Implicit attitudes: – Involuntary responses to the attitude object.

ExplicitExplicit

How much do you like the monarchy?

Not at all

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very much

ImplicitImplicit

ImplicitImplicit

Explicit V. Implicit AttitudesExplicit V. Implicit Attitudes

• Our explicitly expressed attitude and our implicit reactions can be the same thing.

• But, there can also be a difference between what people say and what they think or believe

• Raises questions about attitude measurement

• Raises possibilities for studying attitudes

Food AromasMusic, Voices

Laughter

Concept of a Party-

Attitudes toward Parties

Shouldn’t drinkand drive, but no problems

It was unfairto call the

police

Parties giveyou a chance

to relax

I’ll meet somenice people

Could be a partyI need some

fun!

Ego Protection

ExpressValues

ReinforcementFunction

Frame ofReference

ReconcileContradiction

Stimulus Perception/ events Cognition

Personal Functions ofReactions Attitudes

FUNCTIONS SERVED BY ATTITUDES

Values held as important

Attitudes aboutan object or

a referent

Beliefs aboutan object ora referent

Intentions to

behave

Behavior

A MODEL OF ATTITUDES

Values and

Beliefs

ATTITUDESStrong

positive workattitude

Positive work

experiences

Parents nevermissed work

Good potentialin current job

Mother winsaward at

work

Parents involvechild in work

projects

Socializing withsuccessful

people

An Example of Learning and Expression of Attitudes

Toward Work

ATTITUDE TOWARD

WORK

ATTITUDETOWARD POLITICS

ATTITUDETOWARDFAMILY

A CLUSTER OFRELATED ATTITUDES

ATTITUDETOWARD

RELIGOIN

Attitude ClustersAttitude Clusters

For example…….For example…….

work

Co-workers

LocalOfficials

PoliticsThe firm

Yourcity

Hobbies

Attitude functionAttitude function

Attitudes will fluctuate in order to serve our current needs.Four major functions (Katz, 1960) and Smith et al. (1956):

1. Utilitarian function- Helps person to achieve rewards and gain approval from others (e.g., Nienhuis, Manstead, & Spears, 2001).

2. Knowledge function- Attitudes can be used as a “frame of reference” for organizing the world so that it makes sense (Katz, 1960).- For example, we perceive knowledge that contradicts our views with suspicion, thus forming a negative impression of that source of information (Giner-Sorolla & Chaiken, 1997).

Attitude functionAttitude function3. Ego-defensive function

- Helps to cope with emotional conflicts and protect and enhance one’s self-esteem.- E.g., one’s job not going well, can blame colleagues or his boss, this negative orientation towards the people he or she blames protects one from acknowledging painful truths. A conflict in office may be expressed as outcome of anger against spouse

4. Value-expressive function-Help to express core aspects of self-concept.-Helps express central values in products they buy.- Helps express group identity

- For example, if you are a person who firmly believes in fair treatment and equality towards others, you’ll most likely have a positive attitude towards particular political parties and a negative attitude towards others.

So, why are social psychologists So, why are social psychologists interested in attitudes?interested in attitudes?

• People like to evaluate things. Attitudes are an important aspect of individual psychology.

• The ways in which people evaluate their social world (e.g., other people) has important consequences for their relationships with and actions toward others.

• The attitudes people have, guide the decisions that they make, and therefore have important implications for the self.

Attitudes + behaviourAttitudes + behaviour

• Part of the interest in attitudes is due to the assumption that people act in accordance with their attitudes:

• Companies spend ridiculous amounts of money on advertising campaigns designed to change people’s attitudes toward their products.

• Political parties closely monitor opinion polls to try and gauge the mood of the community and the likely outcome of elections.

• Do attitudes really predict behaviour?

Attitudes + behaviourAttitudes + behaviour

• A CASE OF INTERVIEW• In a medical admission interview a candidate

was asked ,’what is the reason to choose medical profession’- He replied,’ I want to treat disease of the poor and help our people.

• Do you have any relative who is a doctor ?

• Candidate “ Yes my uncle is doctor in gulf .He earns a lot. He only suggested me , I can go there after I become a doctor.”

This indicate a gap between attitude and behaviour

Attitudes + behaviourAttitudes + behaviour

• Later research confirmed the gap:

– E.g., Wicker (1969) reviewed research on the attitude-behaviour link

– Although the two were usually positively related, the relationship was typically small (average r = .15).

• Evidence for weak relationships between attitudes and behaviour prompted 2 responses:

1. Attitudes are a load of rubbish!

2. Attitudes are related to behaviour, but the relationship is more complex

Attitudes + behaviour: The full storyAttitudes + behaviour: The full story

1. Not all attitudes should be related to behaviour:

• Specific attitudes should predict behaviour better then general attitudes

• Strong (accessible) attitudes should predict behaviour better than weak attitudes.

2. Other variables are involved in the attitude-behaviour relationship

The theory of planned behaviour The theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1989)(Ajzen, 1989)

Attitude

BehaviourIntention

Subjective Norms

Perceived behavioural control

Attitudes + Behaviour: The full storyAttitudes + Behaviour: The full story

• Research using more complete models have provided a better account of the attitude behaviour relationship:

• Attitudes are related to behaviours – but not directly.

• Attitudes affect behaviour - in combination with norms, control beliefs, and intentions.

• In addition to being a theoretical improvement, this approach has also proven to be very practical.

• Attitudes are evaluations

• Attitudes guide people’s behaviours… sometimes

• Attitudes can change … – but the same technique won’t work the

same way for all people all of the time

Changing the attitudesChanging the attitudesBarriers to change

1.Prior commitments and unwillingness to change

2.Cognitive dissonance

3. Insufficient Information

The Theory of Cognitive DissonanceThe Theory of Cognitive Dissonance

ANY INCOMPATIBILITY BETWEEN TWO OR MORE ATTITUDESOR BETWEEN BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES

Why to to reduce dissonance ?Attempts to reduce dissonance : Depends on ;Importance of elements creating dissonanceDegree of individual influence over elementsRewards involved in dissonance

Denial of information

Ague that all that is being told is not true

Look for opposite information to disprove information

Surrender

Ways to reduce dissonance;

Ways for Changing the attitudesWays for Changing the attitudes

1. Watch ones own attitude and how it affects performance

2. Develop oneself based on others input- with care

3. Discover the adverse effects of having negative attitudes

4. Keep an open Mind

Changing ones own attitudes

5.Build Positive self esteem

6. Keep onself away from negative influences

Ways for Changing the attitudesWays for Changing the attitudes

1. Give feedback

2. Create Conducive and pleasant working conditions

3. Positive role model

4. Provide new information-ensure adequate information

Changing attitudes of employees

5. Assess how much to use fear component

6. Persuade peer influence

7. Co-opting approach

ATTRIBUTION THEORY -ATTITUDES

OBSERVATIONDESCRIPTION

UNDERSTANDINGPRDICTION/CONTROL

EMPLOYEE BEHAVIOUR OCCURS

FUNCTIONAL ?DYSFUNCTIONAL ?

ATTRIBUTIONS ARE MADE TOSITUATIONAL FACTORS.

CONSISTENCYDISTINCTIVENESS CONSENSUS

FUTURE BEHAVIOR IS PREDICTED;METHODS TOASSURE They AREIMPLIMENTED

Measuring the A-B RelationshipMeasuring the A-B Relationship

• Recent research indicates that the attitudes (A) significantly predict behaviors (B) when moderating variables are taken into account.

Moderating Variables

• Importance of the attitude

• Specificity of the attitude

• Accessibility of the attitude

• Social pressures on the individual

• Direct experience with the attitude

Moderating Variables

• Importance of the attitude

• Specificity of the attitude

• Accessibility of the attitude

• Social pressures on the individual

• Direct experience with the attitude

An Application: Attitude SurveysAn Application: Attitude Surveys

Sample Attitude SurveySample Attitude Survey

Job SatisfactionJob Satisfaction• Measuring Job Satisfaction

– Single global rating– Summation score

• How Satisfied Are People in Their Jobs?– Job satisfaction declined to 50.7% in 2000– Decline attributed to:

• Pressures to increase productivity• Less control over work

The Effect of Job Satisfaction on The Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee PerformanceEmployee Performance

• Satisfaction and Productivity– Satisfied workers aren’t necessarily more productive.– Worker productivity is higher in organizations with more

satisfied workers.

• Satisfaction and Absenteeism– Satisfied employees have fewer avoidable absences.

• Satisfaction and Turnover– Satisfied employees are less likely to quit.– Organizations take actions to cultivate high performers and to

weed out lower performers.

Responses to Job DissatisfactionResponses to Job Dissatisfaction

How Employees Can Express How Employees Can Express DissatisfactionDissatisfaction

Job Satisfaction and OCBJob Satisfaction and OCB

• Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)– Satisfied employees who feel fairly treated by and

are trusting of the organization are more willing to engage in behaviors that go beyond the normal expectations of their job.