AttitudesandAttitudeChange

1、Attitudes and Attitude ChangeSocial PsychologyLecture 3Dr Amanda Rivis1Learning Outcomes By the end of this lecture, and with independent study, you should be able to:Discuss the origins, structure and functions of attitudesEvaluate methods for measuring attitudesDiscuss the link between attitudes a

2、nd behaviourDiscuss theories of attitude change 2The different origins of Attitudes: Classical ConditioningStimulus 2(Visits to Grandmother)PleasurableFeelingsStimulus 1(Moth Balls)(A)Stimulus 1(Moth Balls)PleasurableFeelings(B)3The Different Origins of Attitudes: Instrumental ConditioningPositive o

3、r NegativeAttitude TowardAttitude ObjectPositive or NegativeReinforcement(+ive = parents approvalIve = parentsDisapproval)Behaviour towardAttitude Object(e.g., playing withchild of anotherRace)4The Different Origins of Attitudes: ImitationSocial Learning Theory (Bandura 1977): Attitudes are learned

4、through imitation and modelling. Parents and society influence attitude5Attitude StructureThree-component model views attitudes as having three components:Affective = feelings about the attitude objectBehavioural = predisposition to act towards the attitude object in a certain wayCognitive = beliefs

5、 about the attitude objectAny given attitude may be based in lesser or greater amounts on any of these components6Functions of AttitudesValue-Expressive functionenable us to express who we are and what we believe inEgo-defensive functionenable us to project internally-held conflicts onto others (e.g

6、., homophobia)Knowledge function enable us to know the worldUtilitarian FunctionEnable us to gain rewards and avoid punishment7How are attitudes measured?Overt Attitude MeasuresSelf-report (single-item) attitude measures Advantages:Easy and quick to administerRelatively cheapDisadvantages:Responses

7、may not be reliable, e.g.,Question wordingMoodSocial desirability (but see bogus pipeline technique)Assume people have an attitude! (cf. “spontaneous” attitudes)8How are attitudes measured?Overt Attitude MeasuresAttitude scalesMultiple items are used to measure the same constructEliminate some of th

8、e problems of single-item measures (e.g., reliability)Some of the more popular scales include:Likert scaleOsgoods Semantic Differential ScaleExpectancy-Value Scale (Fishbein, 1971)9How are attitudes measured?Example of Expectancy-Value Approach10How are attitudes measured? Covert MeasuresCovert Atti

9、tude Measures (CAM). These measures use physiological arousal to infer attitudes:Electro-myograph (EMG). (Petty & Cacioppo 1981) which may include heart rate & pupil dilationGalvanic Skin Response (GSR) : measures physiological arousal detected through skin resistance (Porier & Lott 1967)11How are a

10、ttitudes measured? Evaluation of Covert MeasuresMore objective than self-report measuresPhysiological measures (e.g. GSR) can be caused by fear or angerPhysiological measures cannot assess the direction of affective responses12How Well Do Attitudes Predict Behaviour?Early research evidence suggested

11、 a weak to moderate link between attitudes and behaviour (e.g., LaPiere, 1934; Wicker, 1969)More recent research has examined moderators of the attitude-behaviour relationship, e.g.,Attitude strengthDirect experience with the attitude objectAttitudinal ambivalenceCorrespondence of attitudinal and be

12、havioural measures13How Well Do Attitudes Predict Behaviour? Correspondence of Attitudinal and Behavioural MeasuresAttitude MeasureAttitude-Behaviour CorrelationAttitude toward birth controlAttitude toward birth control pillsAttitude toward using birth control pillsAttitude toward using birth contro

13、l pillsduring the next two years.08.32.53.57Source: Davidson & Jaccard (1979)14How Well Do Attitudes Predict Behaviour: Ajzens (1991) Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)This model posits an important mediator of the attitude-behaviour link, namely behavioural intentionThe TPB holds that attitudes comb

14、ine with other important factors in predicting intentions and, in turn, behaviour:-Perceived social pressure Factors that may facilitate or inhibit performance of the behaviour15Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991)PerceivedSocialPressurePerceived BehaviouralControlAttitudesBehaviourIntention16T

15、heories of Attitude Change: The Yale Attitude Change Approach (Hovland, et al. 1953) According to this approach, attitude change/persuasion influenced by 3 factors:-Source originator of communicationMessage features of communication itselfAudience characteristics of who is receiving the message17The

16、ories of Attitude Change: The Yale Attitude Change Approach (Hovland, et al. 1953)Characteristics of SourceCredibilityExpertiseTrustworthinessAttractivenessSimilarityAppearance18Theories of Attitude Change: The Yale Attitude Change Approach (Hovland, et al. 1953)Message FactorsOne-sided vs. Two-side

17、d messagesOrder of messagesPrimacy Effects v-Recency EffectsRepetition19Theories of Attitude Change: The Yale Attitude Change Approach (Hovland, et al. 1953)Characteristics of AudienceDistractionIntelligenceSelf-Esteem (?)Age (18-25 year olds most susceptible) Problem: what conditions determine the

18、relative importance of these factors?20Petty & Cacioppos (1986) Elaboration Likelihood (dual-process) Model of Persuasion (ELM)ELM holds that there are two routes to attitude change: Central route to persuasion occurs when we think critically about message content and are swayed by the strength and

19、quality of its arguments.Peripheral route to persuasion occurs when we do not do much thinking but are swayed by employing heuristics on the basis of non-content cues (e.g., “experts know best”)21The Elaboration-Likelihood Model of Persuasion (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986) Whether persuasion results from

20、the central or the peripheral processing route depends upon:Abilitye.g., attention, receptiveMotivationPersonal Involvement22The Elaboration-Likelihood Model of Persuasion (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986) PersuasiveCommunicationAbility & Motivationto pay attention?NoYesCentral Route toPersuasionPeripheral R

21、outeTo persuasionAttitude Change23Theories of Attitude Change: Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Festinger, 1957)This theory of self-persuasion holds that:Cognitive inconsistency creates a state of psychological tension (i.e., “dissonance”)Such tension is aversive and motivating (where it poses a threat to the self)Easiest form of dissonance reduction will be adopted24Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Attitude Change: Justifying Attitude-Discrepant BehaviourFes