Attitude: An Overview
Attitude is a psychological construct that describes a person’s general disposition or feeling about something. It is a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993). Attitudes are generally considered to be a psychological phenomenon, and are thought to be acquired mainly through social interaction with others (Gross & McDermott, 2020).
Attitudes are composed of three components: cognitive, affective, and behavioral (Rosenberg & Hovland, 1960). The cognitive component refers to the beliefs and opinions a person holds about a particular entity. The affective component refers to the feelings a person has towards the same entity. The behavioral component refers to the intentions and actions a person takes with regards to the entity. Attitudes are not permanent and can be changed through attitude change techniques such as persuasion, rational arguments, and incentives (Hogg & Vaughan, 2011).
Attitudes play an important role in the decision-making process. People often use their attitudes to decide how to respond to a given situation (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). Attitudes also influence the way people interact with others, as people tend to form relationships and friendships with people who have similar attitudes to them (Rosenberg & Hovland, 1960). Attitudes are also linked to behavior, as people are more likely to engage in behaviors that are consistent with their attitudes (Gross & McDermott, 2020).
Attitudes can also be changed through attitude change techniques. One commonly used technique is persuasion, which involves providing information that supports one’s point of view (Hogg & Vaughan, 2011). Another technique is rational arguments, which involve presenting logical reasons for one’s point of view (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). Incentives such as rewards or punishments can also be used to encourage attitude change (Hogg & Vaughan, 2011).
In conclusion, attitude is a psychological phenomenon that describes a person’s general disposition or feeling about something. Attitudes are composed of three components: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. Attitudes influence the way people interact with others, and can be changed through attitude change techniques such as persuasion, rational arguments, and incentives.
References
Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S. (1993). The psychology of attitudes. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Gross, J. J., & McDermott, J. M. (2020). Psychology: The science of mind and behavior (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hogg, M. A., & Vaughan, G. M. (2011). Social psychology (6th ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education.
Rosenberg, M. J., & Hovland, C. I. (1960). Cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of attitudes. In M. J. Rosenberg, & C. I. Hovland (Eds.), Attitude organization and change (pp. 1-14). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.