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ATTITUDE FORMATION
AND CHANGE
 Attitude is
Everything.

IT IMPACTS

EVERYTHING

YOU DO!
 Chapter Overview
• What is an attitudes?
• Structure and function of attitudes
• Function of Attitudes
• Attitudes: Cognition and Evaluation
• Forming attitudes
• Concepts related to attitudes
• Can attitudes predict behavior?
• Attitudes formation: cognition (thinking)
– Cognitive response model
– Theory of reasoned action (TORA)
• How to change attitudes: cognition (thinking)
• Attitude formation: affect (emotion)
• How to change attitudes: affect (emotion)
 What Is an
Attitude?
• A thought accepted as true
• An emotional readiness to
behave in a particular way
• Leads one to think, feel or
act positively or negatively
toward a person, idea or
event
• Deeply ingrained in our
personalities as we learn
and grow
Aspects of Attitudes
• Can be changed or new
ones learned
• Not formed casually or
quickly
• Can motivate or cause to
act
• One can choose to act or
not
• Values serve as a
foundation for attitudes
Figure 6.1
The Relationship Among
Values, Attitudes,
and Behaviors
 What’s the Big Deal About Attitudes?

• Attitudes……

– Guide our thoughts (cognitive

function)

– Influence our feelings (affective

function)

– Affect our behavior (connative

function)
 Structure and Function of Attitudes
ONE, TWO OR THREE

There are a number of different views about what an attitude

is:
– an affective orientation toward, or evaluation of, an
attitude object (one-component model, socio-cognitive
model); (Feeling)
– a mental readiness to act and a guide for how to respond
and guides our evaluations (two-component
model); (Thought and feeling)
– or a combination of information about, and feelings and
behavioural intentions toward, an object (three-
component model). (Though, Feeling and
Action/Behaviour)
 Structure and Function of Attitudes

“The three-component model is probably most popular.

Generally, attitudes are useful because they are enduring
and they provide a cognitive and affective orientation
toward objects and thus help us pursue goal-directed
thought and action. “
 Function of Attitudes
• Katz (1960)
– Knowledge
– Instrumentality (means to an
end or a goal)
– Ego-defense (protects ones
own self-esteem)
– Value-expressiveness (allow
people to display those
values that uniquely
Daniel Katz (Psychologist) identify and
define them).
 Structure and Function of Attitudes
• According to cognitive
consistency theories, our
attitudes should be relatively
congruent with one another
because we seek consistency
among our cognitions.
• Specifically, we seek balance
between how we feel about an
object, how someone else feels
about an object, and how we
feel about that other person
(balance theory). Heider’s
theory of attitude change
• If you and I like apples, it would
be unbalanced if I did not like
Fritz Heider (1958) you.
Examples of balanced and unbalanced triads
from Heider’s theory of attitude change
 Attitudes: Cognition and Evaluation
• Pratkanis and Greenwald’s
sociocognitive model.
• Attitude is represented by
– An object label and the rules for
applying that label
– An evaluative summary of that
object, and
– A knowledge structure
supporting that evaluation
• E.g. Shark
– Big Fish with large teeth (label)
– Is frightening and best avoided
when swimming (evaluative)
– Well-documented threat to our Anthony Pratkanis
physical well-being (knowledge
structure)
 The sociocognitive model of attitude
Figure 5.2

structure and function

Source: Based on Pratkanis & Greenwald (1989)
 Forming attitudes
• Attitude formation can rest on direct
experience with the attitude object; mere
exposure to an object can influence how
much we like or dislike it and thus our
attitude toward it (Zajonc,1968).
• We can also acquire positive or negative
attitudes toward an object by direct
reinforcement or punishment associated
with the object, or by observing someone
else being rewarded or punished(modelling)
– Classical Conditioning: Attitudes paired
with
– positive orAttitude
Spreading negativeeffect:
effectsRipple effect of
meeting different people
– Instrumental Conditioning: Positive
consequences more likely to be repeated, while
negative effect are not.
– Observational Learning: Rewards and
Punishment and modelling.
Robert Zajonc (1923-2008)
Forming attitudes
 Forming attitudes
Through whatever process we form an attitude,
one of the most important sources of enduring
attitudes is our parents, and later our peer
groups.
– Parents
– Teachers
– Friends
– Mass Media
 Concepts related to attitudes
• Values are higher-level constructs that often subsume and
organize specific attitudes. Values can be differentiated
into those that concern end states (e.g., freedom,
equality) and those that are more instrumental (e.g.,
honesty, tradition).
• Allport
– Theoretical: Interest in problem solving/how things
work?
– Economic: An interest in economic matters such as
finance and money
– Aesthetic: An interest in the arts, theatre, music etc
– Social: A concern for others, interest in social welfare
– Political: An interest in politics
– Religious: Interest in theology.
• Rokeach
– Terminal Values: Broad values that have control over
specific value: (e.g. Equality, Freedom)
– Instrumental Values: Motivations that may influence
specific attitudes (honesty and ambition).
 Concepts related to attitudes
• Ideologies are similar to values but go further
insofar as they are usually associated with, and
sometimes define, membership in particular
groups. Ideologies also serve to justify relations
between groups (they are system-justifying or
hierarchy-enhancing), or to challenge the
status quo and energize social change (radical
ideologies).
• Explanatory function (Thompson, 1990).
Ideologies can be used to explain events that
influence attitudes.
• Every thinking and attitudes influenced by
ideological dilemmas (Billig, 1991)
 Concepts related to attitudes
• The third construct that is related to attitudes is social
representations. Social representations are
explanatory belief systems that simplify complex or
distressing phenomena and make them easily
understood by ordinary people.
• They are developed through informal, interindividual
communication and become consensual within
communities or groups.
• From an attitudinal perspective, this is an important
point, that is, attitudes are framed by, and embedded
within, wider representational structures, which are in
turn grounded in social groups. In this area, attitudes
are socially constructed, reflecting society or groups in
which people live their lives.
 Can attitudes predict behaviour?

• The utility of attitudes, both theoretically and practically,

rests largely on how much people’s attitudes influence their
behaviour.
• It is only possible to predict behaviour from attitudes if the
attitude is very specific and is oriented toward an
intention to behave in a certain way.
• Examples of studies, i.e. drink or ethnic tolerance, small
correlation between what people report and what they do
(Gregson & Stacey, 1981; La Piere).
• General attitudes are very poor predictors of specific
behaviours but can predict an average of a wider range of
behaviours (multiple-act criterion).
 Can attitudes predict behaviour?

• The two main theories of attitude-behaviour relations

are:
• (a) the theory of reasoned action (people behave in line
with their attitudes if they have a favourable attitude and
there is general social support for the behaviour), and
• (b) the theory of planned behaviour, which added that
people also need to feel that performance of the
behaviour is under their control. When these conditions
are met, people’s behavioural intentions (and to a lesser
extent their actual behaviour) can be quite well
predicted.
 Can attitudes predict behaviour?

• The theory of planned behavior holds that human

action is guided by three kinds of
considerations:
– Beliefs about the likely outcomes of the behavior and
the evaluations of these outcomes (behavioral
beliefs or Attitudes)
– Beliefs about the normative expectations of others and
motivation to comply with these expectations
(normative beliefs/Subjective Norm)
– Beliefs about the presence of factors that may facilitate
or impede performance of the behavior and the
perceived power of these factors (control
beliefs/Perceived Behavioural Control).
 A comparison of the theory of reasoned
Figure 5.3

action
(TRA) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB)
Source: Based on Ajzen & Fishbein (1980); Madden, Ellen & Ajzen (1992)
Attitudes Valued by
Employers
• Attitudes sought by
employers
– Self-motivation
– Openness to
change
– Team spirit
– Health
consciousness
– Appreciation of
coworker diversity
– Honesty
 How are attitudes formed through
cognition?
• The Cognitive Response
Model
– thoughts/reactions we have
in response to a
message

• Theory of Reasoned Action

(TORA)
– explains how, when and why
attitudes predict
behavior
Cognitive Response Model

• Counterarguments (CAs)
– disagreement
• Support arguments (SAs)
– agreement
• Source derogations (SDs)
– attack the source
 Your choices
TODAY impact your
successes
TOMORROW.
Happiness is Your’s
to create.
Build your attitude
from the INSIDE
out.
Watch what you say
to yourself.
29
 Theory of Reasoned Action (TORA)
Belief about Evaluation of Normative belief Motivation to
consequences consequences (what do important comply (desire to
of an act (bi) others think about please these important
of an act (ei) this act?) (NBj) others) (MCj)

Attitude toward
How much consumer
the act (Aact)
is actually influenced
by these others (SN)

Behavioral Intentions

Behavior
 Calculating TORA
Behavioral Intentions

BI Aact 
SN
Aact i biei

 j NBjMCj
SN 
TORA Example: Getting a tattoo
• B=get a tattoo
• BI=intention to get a tattoo
• Aact=your attitude toward getting a tattoo
• SN=what influence others have on you
 TORA Scales
• bi = the likelihood that this outcome will occur
is (-3) very low to (+3) very high
• ei = if this outcome occurs, it will be (-3) very
bad to (+3) very good
• NBj = this person thinks I should (-3) not do it
to (+3) do it
• MCj = how much do I care what this person
thinks? (-3) don’t care at all to (+3) care very
much
TORA Example: Aact
Beliefs bi

will hurt
+3
will be cool
+1 will be expensive
+2 self-expression
+3
 TORA Example: Aact
Beliefs
bi ei
will hurt
+3 -3
will be cool
will be expensive +1 +2
self-expression +2 -2
+3 +3
 TORA Example: Aact

Beliefs bi ei Sum bi X ei

will hurt +3 X -3 = -9
will be cool +1 X +2 = 2
will be expensive +2 X -2 = -4
self-expression +3 X +3 = + 9

Therefore, Aact = -2
 TORA Example: SN

Important Others NBj

Parents -3
Sig. Other -3
Best Friend +2
MKT 171 Instructor +3
 TORA Example: SN

Important Others NBj MCj

Parents -3 -1
Sig. Other -3 +3
Best Friend +2 +1
MKT 171 Instructor +3 0
 TORA Example: SN

Important Others NBj MCj Sum NBj X MCj

Parents -3 X -1 = +3
Sig. Other -3 X +3 = -9
Best Friend +2 X +1 = +2
MKT 171 Instructor +3 X 0 = + 0

Therefore, SN = -4
The Bottom Line
BI = Aact + SN
= -2 + -4
= -6

Decision: Don’t do it!

 Your attitude reflects
YOU.
Focus on the
POSITIVE.
Your Setbacks can be
Setups for even greater
opportunities.

Be committed to change!
41
 Theory of Reasoned Action (TORA)
Belief about Evaluation of Normative belief Motivation to
consequences consequences (what do important comply (desire to
of an act (bi) others think about please these important
of an act (ei) this act?) (NBj) others) (MCj)

Attitude toward
How much consumer
the act (Aact)
is actually influenced
by these others (SN)

Behavioral Intentions

Behavior
Attitude Change Strategies

• Change beliefs (bi)

• Change evaluations (ei)
• Add a new belief (biei)
• Target normative beliefs
 Cognitively-Based Attitude Change
Issues
• Communication Source
– spokesperson credibility
– company reputation
• Message factors
– argument quality
– one- vs. two-sided messages
– comparative messages
How are attitudes formed through
affect (emotion)?

• Affective involvement

• Affective reactions
 Affectively-Based Attitude Change
Issues

• Communication Source
– Attractiveness

• Message Factors
– Emotional appeals
– Fear appeals
 Embrace change…it’s inevitable.
Develop a “Whatever-It-Takes” attitude.
Take your time…change doesn’t happen
overnight.

Keep your long-term goals in mind.

47
 How to Change
Attitudes
• Attitudes are hard
to change
• Knowing how to
change attitudes in
yourself and others
can be essential to
effective human
relations
Changing Your Own Attitude

Attitudes that help

achieve positive results:
– Choose happiness
– Embrace optimism
– Think for yourself
– Keep an open
mind
 Total Person Insight
We don’t need more money, we don’t need greater success or fame, we
don’t need the perfect body or even the perfect mate—right now, at this
very moment, we have a mind, which is all the basic equipment we need
to achieve complete happiness.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler

Coauthors, The Art of Happiness
 Choose Happiness
• Happiness is the state of mind that permits us to live
life enthusiastically
• Happy people Unhappy people
– more sociable – self-focused
– flexible – socially withdrawn
– creative – antagonistic
• Energy builder and key to overcoming adversity and
reaching goals
• Perceptions of situation are critical
 Embrace Optimism
• Optimistic thoughts give rise to good moods, which help
develop positive attitudes
• Optimists are more likely to bounce back after a
disappointment
• Focus on success rather than failure
• Avoid pessimism which leads to cynicism
 Think for Yourself
• Need for acceptance by group can lead to “group think”
• Two groups in the workplace
– Personal relationships
– Professional relationship
• Overlap can cause confusion
• Evaluate situations based on your values!
Keep an Open Mind
• Our attitudes may persist in the
face of overwhelming evidence to
the contrary
• Learn to consider other points of
view and gently question your
beliefs
• Expose yourself to experiences
and information beyond what you
have been socialized to believe
 Helping Others Change Attitudes
• Change the conditions that precede the behavior
• Change the consequences that follow when the person
exhibits the behavior
A Final Word

• Changing an attitude can be a

challenge
• Change is part continued growth
and success
No matter what
you do in life, if
you have a
positive attitude,

you’ll always be
100%
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!
A = 1
T = 20
T = 20
I = 9
T = 20
U = 21
D = 4
E = 5
AT T I T U D E = 100
 Make a difference in the life of someone else and be self-
fulfilled.
We can all find the time to GIVE BACK.

Learning and Giving … for Better

Indonesia
59