Attitudes and Behavior Chapter 6

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Attitudes and BehaviorChapter 6
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Announcements

• Extra credit due by end of class on Thursday!
• Chapters covered so far Chapter 3, 4 5. This
  week chapter 6.
• Questions? Please come see me or Elizabeth during
  office hours or make an appointment.

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Why do people like some things and dislike other
things?

• Attitude an enduring evaluation positive or
  negative of a person, object, or an idea.

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Three components (the ABCs) of attitudes

• Cognitions (thoughts) what do I believe about
  the object
• Affect (feelings) emotional reaction to the
  object
• Behavior (intentions) behavioral response to
  object

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Do attitudes predict behavior?

• There is evidence that attitudes DO NOT predict
  behavior very well!
• LaPierre Chinese Couple/Hotel Study (1934)
• Other recent examples
• Are attitudes useless?
• Situation may influence link between attitude and
  behavior

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WHEN will attitudes predict behavior? Theory of
Planned Behavior
Attitude toward behavior
Behavioral Intention
Behavior
Subjective Norms
Perceived Control
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WHEN will attitudes predict behavior? Theory of
Planned Behavior

• When attitude and behavior are measured at the
  same level of specificity
• Predict jogging behavior? Measure attitude toward
  jogging not attitude toward health and fitness

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WHEN will attitudes predict behavior? Theory of
Planned Behavior

• When attitude is more immediate or salient
  (self-awareness)
• Cheating study all said cheating is wrong
• No mirror 71 cheated
• Mirror 7 cheated
• Affirmative action study

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WHEN will attitudes predict behavior? Theory of
Planned Behavior

• Subjective norms how do others feel about the
  behavior?
• Breast-feeding study
• Social desirability effects can weaken the link
  between attitudes and behavior
• Perceived controllability of behavior
• Example Dieting

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WHERE do attitudes come from?

• Attitudes can follow from (or are the result of)
  behavior we are motivated to justify ourselves
• COGNITIVE DISSONANCE the feeling of discomfort
  that arises from holding two or more inconsistent
  cognitions (Festinger, 1957)

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How can we reduce discomfort caused by
dissonance?

• Change the behavior
• Change the attitude
• Add new cognitions

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Why does behavior influence attitudes?

• We may generate attitudes that make our behaviors
  seem rational and justified.
• Cult Observation Study

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Classic Study of Cognitive Dissonance

• Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) Boring Task Study
• After boring task, all asked to lie and tell next
  person task was fun
• ½ paid 1 to lie ½ paid 20 to lie
• How much did you like task? Those paid 1 changed
  attitude more!

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Why did this happen?

• Insufficient justification if individuals do
  something for no reason (no external attribution
  to make), they will make up an internal attitude

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More Cognitive Dissonance

• Counter-attitudinal essay paradigm
• Read essay against your attitudes for an audience
• Given little money or lots of money
• If given little money attitude change occurs
  AND IT LASTS OVER TIME