Social Psychology— Attitudes AP Psychology

What is Attitude? predisposition to evaluate some people, groups, or issues in a particular way can be negative or positive Has three components Cognitive—Beliefs and thoughts about given topic or situation Emotional—feelings or emotions about topic Behavioral—your actions regarding the topic or situation

Components of Attitudes An attitude is a positive or negative evaluation of an object, person, or idea

The Effect of Attitudes on Behavior You’re most likely to behave in accordance with your attitudes when 1. Attitudes are extreme or are frequently expressed 2. Attitudes have been formed through direct experience. 3. You are very knowledgeable about the subject. 4. You have a vested interest in the subject. 5. You anticipate a favorable outcome or response from others for doing so.

Attitudes Affecting Actions Many studies suggest a person’s attitudes do NOT match their actions HOWEVER… Attitudes can predict behavior if: Outside influences are minimal People are aware of their attitudes Attitude is relevant to behavior

Actions Affecting Attitudes Can our actions change our attitudes? YES Cognitive dissonance Foot-in-the-door phenomenon Role playing

Cognitive Dissonance (Leon Festinger) Unpleasant state of psychological tension or arousal that occurs when two thoughts or perceptions are inconsistent When attitudes and behaviors are in conflict…. it is uncomfortable for us we seek ways to decrease discomfort caused by the inconsistency

Cognitive Dissonance A person who lies to his or her parents about how he or she is doing in school is going to at some point experience guilt or dissonance. The reason guilt occurs is because the person has two opposing (cognitive) thoughts that are opposite of each other one thought- he or she knows he is not doing well in school second thought that he or she has lied and told his or her parents everything is going well.

How Cognitive Dissonance Leads to Attitude Change When your behavior conflicts with your attitudes, an uncomfortable state of tension is produced. However, if you can rationalize or explain your behavior, the conflict (and the tension) is eliminated or avoided. If you can’t explain your behavior, you may change your attitude so that it is in harmony with your behavior.

How Cognitive Dissonance Leads to Attitude Change

Insufficient-justification effect Festinger & Carlsmith (1959) gave subjects a boring task, then asked subjects to lie to the next subject and say the experiment was exciting paid ½ the subjects $1, other ½ $20 then asked subjects to rate boringness of task $1 group rated the task as far more fun than the $20 group each group needed a justification for lying $20 group had an external justification of money since $1 isn’t very much money, $1 group said task was fun

Foot in the Door Foot-in-the-door phenomenon is the tendency for people who have agreed to do something minor to then do something bigger

Foot in the Door The foot-in-the-door technique may give you a better chance at getting a friend to help with your entire math assignment. For example, if you said to your friend, “I have a few problems left, could you help me?” Your friend will probably say yes, because in their mind it will not take that long. Then once your friend starts to help, (you got their foot-in- the-door) and since they are already there, he or she is now more willing to help with the rest of the problems.

Door in the Face The door-in-the-face technique is when you make a really big request in order to better your chances to get a smaller request.

Door in the Face A big request makes a small request not seem that much. For example, if I just needed 20 dollars from my Dad, but I first asked for 50 dollars then the 20 dollars now does not seem that much. “Dad can I have 50 dollars?” “NO way!” “Well, can I least have 20?” “Fine.”

Cognitive Dissonance: A Review If you have a good excuse for a behavior that does not go with your attitude then you avoid dissonance. If you do not have a good excuse for a behavior that is against your attitude you must change your attitude to fit your behavior.

Role Playing Can be explained by Cognitive Dissonance Playing a role can influence or change one’s attitude Person reduces dissonance with the excuse, “I was just playing a role.” Zimbardo’s Prison Study College students played the role of guard or prisoner in a simulated prison. The study was ended after just 6 days when the guards became too aggressive and cruel.

Role Playing Can be explained by Cognitive Dissonance Want to learn more about this famous study? See the Stanford Prison Experiment Online Slide ShowStanford Prison Experiment Online Slide Show

Modern Example Abu Ghraib In the era of Saddam Hussein, Abu Ghraib, twenty miles west of Baghdad, was one of the world’s most notorious prisons, with torture, weekly executions, and vile living conditions. As many as fifty thousand men and women—no accurate count is possible—were jammed into Abu Ghraib at one time, in twelve-by-twelve-foot cells that were little more than human holding pits.

Abu Ghraib Between October and December of 2003 there were numerous instances of “sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses” at Abu Ghraib. This systematic and illegal abuse of detainees was perpetrated by soldiers of the 372nd Military Police Company, and also by members of the American intelligence community.