Attitudes of Cognitive Organization

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Attitudes of Cognitive Organization

• Fritz Heider (1946)
• The Journal of Psychology, 21, 107-112

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Theory of attitudes and causal unit formation

• Balance Theory- cognitive balance is the
  motivation behind attitude change.
• A tendency exists to make the different dynamic
  relations agree with each other by means of
  cognitive restructuring.

Heider develops a model to explain the
relationship between people, attitudes, events,
ideas and object. Moreover, the organization of
attitudes.
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Terminology

• PPerson
• OOther Person
• XObject
• LPositive Relation
• LNegative Relation
• Uunit similarity,proximity,
  ownership,causality, membership
• U not unit does not own or did not cause

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Hypotheses

• A balanced state exists if an entity has the
  same dynamic character in all possible respect
• A balanced state exists if all parts of a unit
  have the same dynamic character
• If no balanced state exists, then forces towards
  this state will ariseIf a change is not
  possible, the state of imbalance will produce
  tension.

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Hypothesis part 1

• Internal cognitive balance of a person is
  dependent on the agreement of dynamic relations
  or attitudes.
• Different dynamic relations are logically
  exclusive p like o does not mean p admires o
• Psychological tendency for dynamic relation
  agreement is done through cognitive restructuring

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Hypothesis 2

• A)Person and object/idea (P,X)
• B)Two persons (P,O)
• C)Two persons (P,O,X)
• D)Three persons (P,O,Q)
• A balanced state exists if all parts of a unit
  have the same dynamic character.
• Hypothesis 2 deals with a persons life space

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Hypothesis 2A

• Person and object
• (PLX)(PUX) or (PLX)(PUX)
• When a person likes an object and is united with
  the object, there is balance. When a person hates
  and object and is separated from the object,
  there is balance.

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Hypothesis 2B

• Person and Other-person (P,O)
• Balanced state with two people exists
  when(PLO)(PUO) or (PLO)(PUO)
• Bernie Like Kate, Bernie is not with Kate.
• Bernie does not like Kate, Bernie is not with
  Kate.

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HYP2B Cont.

• Symmetrical relation for Unit (U relation) PUO
  implies OUP
• P is similar to O
• PUOOUP,however, will have different roles in
  unit.
• P caused O means there is a causal relationship
  between PO. However, only one person can be the
  causal unit.
• NO symmetry for L relations
• P likes O does not mean O likes P
• However, psychologically there is a tendency
  toward symmetry.

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2nd Hypothesis, Section C

• Three entities two people and one item, or three
  people
• Positive balance state
• Exceptions Envy and Jealousy
• (pLo) (pLx) (oUx)
• oUx may imply pUx if U means ownership
• Marxian Implications?

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2nd Hypothesis, Section C (contd)Psychological
Transitivity

• Remember 7th grade math class? (ab, bc, then
  ac)
• L transitivity
• Ex There is a tendency of (pLx) if pLo and oLx
  hold
• The psychological transitivity of L is often
  overcome in special cases of L and U (such as
  ownership or romantic love)
• Ex If oLx only because oUx (ownership) then it
  is less likely that pLx will tend to happen.
• U transitivity
• If not prevented by intervening L relation
  (generally weaker than L)
• Ex If pUo and oUx then there is a tendency for
  pUx (only if pLx doesnt hold)
• NOT Logical! A psychological tendency.

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2nd Hypothesis, Section C (contd) Triad Double
Negativity

• Balance can be established within the triad if
  two of the relations are negative and one
  positive.
• Ex (pLo) (oLx) (pUx)
• Note In such a balanced equation, L and U should
  be both exchangeable and transitive.

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Hypothesis part 2 section D

• Three People unit (P,O,Q)
• PLOOLQPLQ- is balanced among platonic friends.
  You want your friends to like your other friends.
• Transitivity of L relations is restricted to 2
  people in romantic love, which typically is
  between two people.

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Self Evaluation

• PLP High self regard
• PLPLow self regard
• P in this unit is not equivalent, which sounds
  very Meadian.
• PLP could cause a person to reject a X as
  punishment
• Negative actions can cause PLP

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Equivalence of L U

• U relations are weaker than L relations
• More often PUX produces PLX
• PLOOLX leads to transitivity of PLX
• Bernie likes Kate. Kate likes Sex. Leads to
  Bernie liking Sex.

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Weber Rationality

• Not only can actions be affected by
  configuration. Means to ends can also be
  affected by balanced attitudes.

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Structural Balance A generalization of Heiders
Theory

• Dorwin Cartwright and Frank Harary (1956)
  Psychological Review
• Purpose Make Heiders theory more general in
  terms of empirical configurations.
• Method Mathematical theory of linear graphs.
• Generate distinction between given relation and
  opposite relation.

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5 problems with Heiders theory

• Unsymmetrical relations
• Empirical relations assume symmetry
• Units containing more than three entities
• What happens there is more that 3 entities?
• Negative relations
• L and U are inconsistent
• Ldislike, Ulack or not unit
  (compliment/opposite)
• U may NOT be negative
• Relations of different type
• U variations (simultaneous) and L balance
• Cognitive fields and social systems
• Studying balance in complex social systems like
  networks.

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Structural Balance (S-Digraph)

• LU relations should have separate lines and
  directional lines
• Degree of balance
• Balance is now probabilistic
• Situations with finite number of entities
• Can be used in networks, power systems and other
  social systems.

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Discussion Questions

• Heider theory of balance focuses on the effects
  of positive or negative attitudes. How does a
  relatively neutral/indifferent attitude play into
  cognitive organization?
• What happens to Heider's configuration when four
  or more entities are considered? (P,O,O2,X,X2)
• The second part of the hypothesis states that
  balance is achieved (in triad configurations)
  with 3 positive in all respects or 2 negative and
  1 positive. What is it to be "positive in all
  respects?
• How practical is Heider's theory in real social
  life? Are simple U and L configurations
  sufficient for understanding complex social life?

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Cart-Right? Question

• Professor Schutte characterized early cognitive
  psychology as thinking within a black box.
  Does Cartwright escape the black box with
  structural balance?