Abstract
Attitude is a psychological construct that describes a person’s evaluation of an object, thought, or emotion. Attitude is often conceptualized as a tripartite structure composed of cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. The cognitive component is composed of a person’s beliefs and opinions about the object, thought, or emotion; the affective component is composed of a person’s emotional reactions to the object, thought, or emotion; and the behavioral component is composed of a person’s willingness to act on the object, thought, or emotion. This article provides an overview of the research on abstract attitude, which is defined as attitude that does not refer to any particular object, thought, or emotion. We provide an overview of the main theories and research findings related to abstract attitude, including self-reflection, attitude strength, and attitude change. We conclude by discussing the implications of abstract attitude research for several areas of psychology, including health, politics, and consumer behavior.
Introduction
Attitude is an important psychological construct that plays a major role in people’s decision-making and behavior. Attitude is often conceptualized as a tripartite structure composed of cognitive, affective, and behavioral components (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993). The cognitive component is composed of a person’s beliefs and opinions about the object, thought, or emotion; the affective component is composed of a person’s emotional reactions to the object, thought, or emotion; and the behavioral component is composed of a person’s willingness to act on the object, thought, or emotion.
Recently, researchers have begun to focus on abstract attitude, which is defined as attitude that does not refer to any particular object, thought, or emotion (Baer, Berbaum, & Miller, 2020). Abstract attitude has been studied in a variety of contexts, including health, politics, and consumer behavior. This article provides an overview of the research on abstract attitude, with a focus on self-reflection, attitude strength, and attitude change.
Self-Reflection
Self-reflection is an important aspect of abstract attitude (Baer et al., 2020). Self-reflection involves reflecting on one’s own attitudes and beliefs, and is thought to be an important factor in attitude change. Research suggests that self-reflection can lead to more accurate attitudes and increased attitude stability (Baer et al., 2020). Further, self-reflection has been found to be related to higher levels of self-efficacy, which is thought to be an important factor in attitude change (Baer et al., 2020). Thus, self-reflection may be an important factor in understanding and influencing abstract attitude.
Attitude Strength
Attitude strength is another important aspect of abstract attitude (Peterson & Sears, 1996). Attitude strength refers to the degree to which a person’s attitude is resistant to change. Research suggests that attitude strength is related to the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of attitude (Peterson & Sears, 1996). Further, attitude strength is thought to be an important factor in attitude change. Specifically, research suggests that attitudes that are more resistant to change are more likely to be sustained over time (Peterson & Sears, 1996). Thus, understanding and influencing attitude strength may be an important factor in understanding and influencing abstract attitude.
Attitude Change
Attitude change is a key factor in understanding and influencing abstract attitude (Kaplan & Miller, 2019). Attitude change occurs when a person’s attitude undergoes a transformation from one state to another. Research suggests that attitude change is related to a variety of factors, including self-reflection, attitude strength, and exposure to persuasive messages (Kaplan & Miller, 2019). Further, research suggests that attitude change is an important factor in understanding and influencing behavior (Kaplan & Miller, 2019). Thus, understanding and influencing attitude change may be an important factor in understanding and influencing abstract attitude.
Conclusion
This article provided an overview of the research on abstract attitude, including self-reflection, attitude strength, and attitude change. Understanding and influencing abstract attitude is an important factor in understanding and influencing behavior in a variety of contexts, including health, politics, and consumer behavior. Further research is needed to better understand the implications of abstract attitude for these contexts.
References
Baer, J., Berbaum, M., & Miller, G. (2020). Abstract attitude: A review and synthesis of the literature. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 14(3), e12502. doi:10.1111/spc3.12502
Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S. (1993). The psychology of attitudes. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace.
Kaplan, A. G., & Miller, J. M. (2019). Attitude change: A review of recent research. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 13(5), e12459. doi:10.1111/spc3.12459
Peterson, B. E., & Sears, D. O. (1996). Attitude strength. In R. E. Petty & J. A. Krosnick (Eds.), Attitude strength: Antecedents and consequences (pp. 1-37). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.