WHAT IS

ATTITUDE ?
 Social psychologist often refer attitude as
people’s evaluation of almost any aspect of the
world.
 According to Murphy and Murphy attitude is
primarily a way of being set towards or against
certain things.

Psychologist_Nikita
 According to Balwin, attitudes is a readiness
for attention/action of a definite pattern.

Attitudes can also be defined as

mental/neutral state of readiness organised
through experience influencing
dynamically/directly the individual’s response
to all objects and situations with which it is
treated.

Psychologist_Nikita
 COMPONENTS OF
ATTITUDE :

A: B: C:
AFFECTIVE COMPONENT BEHAVIOURAL COMPONENT COGNITIVE COMPONENT

• How the • How the • Your thoughts

object, attitude and belief
person, issue, influences about
or event your the
makes you behaviour subject.
feel. .

Psychologist_Nikita
TYPES OF
ATTITUDES :
• Consciously • Unconscious
accessible associations
attitudes that are between objects
controllable and and evaluative
easy to report. responses.

EXPLICIT IMPLICIT

Psychologist_Nikita
 CHARACTERISTICS AND
PROPERTIES OF
ATTITUDES :
1. Attitudes always imply a subject object relationship.
They are associated with ideas, ways and external
objects. It’s always related to definite stimulus
situations.

2. Attitudes in relation to objects, persons and values

may / may not have motivational appeal initially.
Gradually individuals trough social interactions develop
either positive/negative attitude which develop upon
their experience and need.

3. Attitude give direction to one’s behaviour and actions.

Because of a particular positive attitude the organism either
approaches it or because of a negative attitude avoids
it.

Psychologist_Nikita
4. Attitudes are coloured with motivational and evaluative
characteristics. A favourable attitude is considered as
having some positive values while a negative attitude is
looked upon as having unpalatable and negative
implications.

5. Attitudes are not innate but learned, acquired and

conditioned. They grow in the society in the minds of
men through various modes of training.

6. Attitudes is never neutral. It can be either positive or

negative, favourable/unfavourable,
palatable/unpalatable. Thus, it s always coloured with
some sort of emotions.

Psychologist_Nikita
7. Attitudes have affective properties of varying degrees.
They are linked with the feelings and emotions like
pleasant, unpleasant, fear, love.

8. Attitudes are more/less enduring organisations/enduring

state of readiness. Thus, attitudes once formed are
relatively stable, consistent and permanent and can be
normally predicted.

9. Attitudes can be changed depending upon the

circumstances, experiences and information through
various processes of communication/trough direct
interaction.

Psychologist_Nikita
10.Attitudes have cognitive, affective and behavioural
components.

11.Except few, most of the attitudes are clustered or related

to each other.

12.Attitudes range in the number and variety of stimuli to

which they are referred. The strength and the range of
an attitude depends upon the strength of the experience
and learning of the organism.

Psychologist_Nikita
 FUNCTIONS OF
ATTITUDES :

Psychologist_Nikita
1. ADJUSTMENT FUNCTIONS : The holding of a particular
attitude leads to reward or the avoidance of punishment.
It is the utilitarian/instrumental function of attitude
which motivates the person to adjust with the
environment to gain social approval and support of
family, friends and neighbours.

2. VALUE EXPRESSION FUNCTIONS : On the basis of

identification with parents and other relatives the child
develops certain personal values and self concepts. These
values are integrated in the form of different attitudes.
Attitudes helps in expressing these values. The individual
gets satisfaction by expression of attitudes appropriate
to his personal values.

Psychologist_Nikita
3. KNOWLEDGE FUNCTION : This is based on the need to
understand, make sense and give adequate structure to th
e universe. Attitudes have a cognition function in the
sense that they help in understanding things properly for
sake of quick adjustment.

4. EGO DEFENSIVE FUNCTION : It provides protection

against the knowledge and acceptance of basic
unpleasant truths about disease, death, weakness,
insecurity, frustration, unemployment, illness and various
other harsh realities of life.

Psychologist_Nikita
 ATTITUDE FORMATION :

Psychologist_Nikita
1. LEARNING ATTITUDES BY ASSOCIATION: Students
often
develop a liking for a particular subject because of the
teacher. Because the positives qualities of a teacher gets
linked to the subject and ultimately results in liking of the
subject. Hence, positive attitude is learned through
positive association between teacher and student.
2. LEARNING ATTITUDES BY BEING REWARDED/PUNISHED:
If
an individual is praised for showing a particular attitude,
chances are high that s/he will develop that attitude
further. For example: If a child constantly falls ill because
s/he eats junk food instead of proper meals, then the child
is likely to develop negative attitude towards junk food,
and positive attitude towards eating healthy food.

Psychologist_Nikita
3.LEARNING THROUGH MODELLING (observing others) : Often
it is not through association or through reward and punishment,
that we learn attitudes. Instead, we learn them by observing
others rewarded or punished for expressing thoughts, or
showing behaviour of a particular kind towards the attitude
object. For example: children may form a respectful attitude
towards elders, by observing that their parents show respect
for elders and are appreciated for it.
4.LEARNING ATTITUDES THROUGH GROUP OR
CULTURAL
NORMS: Very often, we learn attitudes through the norms of
our culture/group. Overtime, these norms may become part of
our social cognition, in the form of attitudes.
5.LEARNING THROUGH EXPOSURE TO INFORMATION:
Many
attitudes are learned in a social context, but not necessarily in
the physical presence of others. Today, with the huge amount
off information that is being provided through various media,
both positive and negative attitudes are being formed.
Psychologist_Nikita
 ATTITUDE CHANGE:

Psychologist_Nikita
 1.The concept of balance (Fritz Heider)
2.The concept of cognitive dissonance (Leon
Festinger, Carlsmith)
3.The two step concept (S.M.Mohsin)

Psychologist_Nikita
 1.The concept of balance :

• Fritz Heider described P-O-X triangle, which represents the

relationship between 3 aspects/components of attitude. The
basic idea is that an attitude changes if there is a state of
imbalance between the P-O attitude, O-X attitude, and P-X
attitude. This is because imbalance is logically uncomfortable.
Therefore, the attitude changes in the direction of balance.

BALANCE IMBALANCE
When 3 sides are When 3 sides are A
positive negative

When 2 sides are When 2 sides are

negative and negative and
one side is one side is B C
positive positive
P
sychologist_Nikita
• For e.g., In a family a child(P) wants to pursue psychology
field (attitude topic X), means have a positive attitude
towards psychology. But the father(O), doesn’t want his
child to pursue psychology, thus has negative attitude
towards psychology(O-X is negative).
If O has positive attitude towards P, the situation would
be unbalanced. P-X is positive, O-P is positive, But O-X is
negative.
Means there will be two positive and one negative in the
triangle, and the situation will become imbalanced.
Thus, one of the three attitude have to change. This
could take place in P-X relationship (P starts disliking
psychology), or in O-X relationship(O starts disliking
psychology as a carrier), or in O-P relationship (O starts
disliking P).
Thus, an attitude change will have to take place so that
there will be 3 positive relationship, or 2 negative and one
positive relationship, in the triangle.

Psychologist_Nikita
2.The concept of cognitive
dissonance :

• Proposed by Leon Festinger, emphasises the

cognitive component. The basic idea is that the
cognitive components of an attitude must be
“consonant” (opposite of dissonant) i.e., they
should be logically in line with each other.
• If the person finds that cognition in attitude are
dissonant then one of them will be changed in
the direction of dissonance.

Psychologist_Nikita
• Festinger and Carlsmith , two social psychologist,
conducted an experiment that showed how
cognitive dissonance works.
• Both balance and cognitive dissonance are
examples of cognitive consistency(two component,
aspects/elements of attitude, or attitude system,
must be in same direction).
• Each element should logically fall in line with other
elements. If it does not happen, then the person
experiences a kind of mental discomfort, i.e., the
sense that ‘something is not quiet right’ in the
attitude system.
• In such a state, some aspect in the attitude system
changes in the direction of consistency, because
our cognitive system requires logical consistency

Psychologist_Nikita
3.The two step concept :

• According to S.M. Mohsin, an Indian psychologist, attitude

change takes place in form of two step:
1. Identification: The target of change identifies with the
source, means the target has liking and regard for the
source. S/he puts her/himself in the place of target, and
tries to feel like her/him. The source must have positive
attitude towards target, regard and attraction becomes
mutual.
2. The source her/himself shows an attitude change by
actually changing her/him behaviour towards the
attitude
object. Observing the source’s changed attitude and
behaviour, the target also shows an attitude change
through behaviour. This is a kind of imitation or
observational learning
Psychologist_Nikita
For e.g., Preeti reads in newspaper that a particular soft
drink that she enjoys is extremely harmful, also which is
been advertised by her favourite sportsperson, whom she has
identified herself with. Now, if he wants to change people
perception towards the drink from positive to negative.
For which he has to first show positive feeling towards fans,
and then change his own drinking habit by substituting it
with healthy drink(STEP 1).
And if the sportsperson changes his attitude , then Preeti is
also likely to change her behaviour and attitude towards
the drink(STEP 2).

Psychologist_Nikita
 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE
ATTITUDE CHANGE :

Psychologist_Nikita
 1. Characteristics of existing attitude
2. Source characteristics
3. Message characteristics
4. Target characteristics

Psychologist_Nikita
1. Characteristics of existing
attitude :
• The properties of attitude i.e.,
valence(positivity/negativity), extremeness,
simplicity or complexity(multiplexity), and
centrality or significance of the attitude,
determine attitude change.
• One must also consider the direction and extent
of attitude change. An attitude change may be
congruent- it may be change in the same
direction as the existing attitude, or
incongruent- it may change in the direction
opposite to existing attitude.
Psychologist_Nikita
For e.g., Poster describing the importance of
brushing one’s teeth would strengthen a positive
attitude towards dental care. But if people are
shown frightening images of dental cavities, they
may not believe the pictures, and may become less
positive about dental care.

Psychologist_Nikita
2. Source characteristics :

• Source credibility and attractiveness are two

features that affect attitude change. Attitudes
are more likely to change when the message
comes from highly credible source rather than
from low credible source.

Psychologist_Nikita
For e.g., If an adult wants to buy a smart-phone,
then s/he will be more convinced if the an adult
points out its features in an advertisement, rather
than a school-going child. But if the buyer is
him/herself a child then s/h will be more
convinced by the advertisement. In some cases,
products such as shampoo/cream, the sales may
increase if they are publicised, not necessarily by
experts, but by popular t.v/film figures.

VIVO

Psychologist_Nikita
3. Message characteristics :

• The message is the information that s presented

in order to bring about an attitude change.
Attitudes will change when the amount of
information that is given about the topic is just
enough, neither too much nor too little. Whether
the message contains a rational or an emotional
appeal, also makes a difference.

Psychologist_Nikita
 The motives activated by the message also
determines attitude change. For e.g., eating
green vegetables may be said to make a person
healthy and good-looking, or more energetic and
more successful at one’s job.
Finally, the mode of spreading the message plays
a significant role. Face-to-face transmission of
the message is usually more effective than
indirect transmission, as for instance, through
letters and pamphlets, or even through mass
media. These days transmission through visual
media such as television and the internet are
similar to face-to-face interaction, bt not a
substitute for the latter.
Psychologist_Nikita
4. Target characteristics :

• Qualities of the target such as persuasibility, strong

prejudice, self-esteem and intelligence influence the
likelihood and extent of attitude change. People
who have a more open and flexible personality,
change more easily. People with strong prejudice are
less prone to any attitude change than those who do
not hold strong prejudices. Person who have low self
esteem, and don’t have sufficient confidence in
themselves, change their attitudes more easily than
those who are high on self-esteem. More intelligent
people may change their attitudes less easily than
those with lower intelligence.

Psychologist_Nikita
ATTITUDE BEHAVIOUR RELATIONSHIP

Psychologist_Nikita
Psychologist have found that there should be
consistency between attitudes and behaviour when:
1. The attitude is strong and occupies a central
place in the attitude system,
2. The person is aware of is/her attitude,
3. There is very little or no external pressure for
the person to behave in a particular way,
4. The person’s behaviour is not being watched or
evaluated by others, and
5. The person thinks that the behaviour would have
a positive consequence and therefore, intends
to engage in that behaviour.

Psychologist_Nikita
For e.g., In days when high caste were against lower caste,
a low-caste family comes on the rent of high-caste family,
without letting them know that they belong to low-caste,
and the higher-caste well behaved with them and
showcased positive attitude towards them. Once
people asked high-caste that would they havefew actually
allowed someone who belonged to low-caste to stay in
their house, so the higher-caste people simply said never
ever.
This response showed the negative response towards lower-
caste, which was inconsistent with the positive behaviour
that was actually shown towards the rented lower-caste.
Thus, attitudes may not always predict actual pattern of
one’s behaviour.

Psychologist_Nikita
 CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE,
CHANGE YOUR LIFE !

Psychologist_Nikita