How to Be a Puppet Master
Persuasion
Effort to change attitudes
through various kinds of
messages
Social
Influence
Attempts to change
behavior (and maybe
attitudes)
X
Outcomes of Influence Attempts
Commitment
Compliance
Resistance
Attitudes
Chapters 7 and 8
Why Study Attitudes?
Attitudes are important because they:
 strongly influence our social thought
–

help to organize and evaluate stimuli (e.g.,
categorizing stimuli as positive or negative)
presumably have a strong affect on
behavior
–
help to predict people’s behavior in wide range of
contexts (e.g., voting, interpersonal relations)
The Basics of Attitudes
Attitude - evaluation of an object in a positive or negative
fashion that includes the 3 elements of affect,
cognitions, and behavior
1. The 3 Components of Attitudes
affect, cognition, and behavior
2. Measuring Attitudes
likert scale - used to assess people’s attitudes that
includes a set of possible answers and that has anchors
on each extreme
Attitude Structure
Gun Control
Affect: “Guns make me sick!”
Behavior: “I vote for gun control
whenever possible.”
Cognition: “Guns in the house
increase the likelihood of children
accidentally shooting themselves.”
Behavior
Attitude Formation

social learning- acquire attitudes from others
–
–
–
classical conditioning- learning based on
association
 subliminal conditioning- without awareness
instrumental conditioning- learn to hold the “right”
views
observational learning- learning by observing
actions of others and exposure to mass media
Attitude Formation (con’t)

social comparison- compare ourselves to
others to determine if our view of reality is
correct
–

attitudes are shaped by social information from
others we like or respect
genetic factors- inherited general dispositions
(e.g., see world in a positive or negative light)
–
highly heritable attitudes and gut-level preferences
(music) are especially influenced
Summary




Attitudes are evaluations of any aspect of our
social world
Attitudes are often learned
Attitudes are also formed through social
comparison
New research suggests attitudes are
influenced by genetic factors
The Functions of Attitudes
1. The Utilitarian Function of Attitudes
serves to alert us to rewarding objects and
situations we should approach, and costly or
punishing objects or situations we should avoid
2. The Ego-Defensive Function of Attitudes
enables us to maintain cherished beliefs about
ourselves by protecting us from awareness of our
negative attributes and impulses or from facts that
contradict our cherished beliefs
The Functions of Attitudes
Terror Management Theory - says that to ward off the
anxiety we feel when contemplating our own demise,
we cling to cultural worldviews and conventional values
out of a belief that by doing so, part of us will survive
death
3. The Value-Expressive Function of Attitudes
4. The Knowledge Function of Attitudes
Attitude-Behavior Link

Attitudes do not always predict behavior
–
–
LaPiere (1934) found that virtually all businesses
served Chinese couple courteously, yet most owners
held negative attitudes
Sun-worshippers know the dangers of exposure to
the sun, yet they tan anyway
 “looking good” attitude takes precedence over
attitudes toward personal health
Forward
LaPiere Study
Would you serve Chinese people?
Did Serve
120%
100%
Would Serve
99%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
Back
8%
9%
0%
Restaurants
Hotels, Motels
Moderators of A-B Link

Aspects of the situation
–
–

situational constraints (e.g., sparing one’s feelings)
may prevent us from expressing our true attitudes
often we choose situations where we can engage in
behaviors consistent with our attitudes
Aspects of attitudes
–
–
–
origins- how attitudes were formed
strength- intensity, importance, accessibility
specificity- general vs. specific
How Do Attitudes Influence Behavior?

Theory of planned behavior (considered)
–

Attitude-to behavior process model (impulsive)
–

intentions are a function of attitudes toward
behavior, subjective norms, and perceived
behavioral control
attitudes spontaneously shape our behavior of
situation
Prototype/willingness model (risky)
–
behavior is a function of attitudes toward behavior,
subjective norms, behavior intentions, willingness to
engage in specific form of behavior, and prototypes
Theory of Planned Behavior
Attitudes
Subjective
Norms
Perceived
Behavioral
Control
Back
Behavioral
Intentions
Behavior
Attitude to Behavior Process Model
Perception of
Event
Event
Attitude
Behavior
Social
Norms
Back
Prototype/Willingness Model
Subjective
Norms
Previous
Behavior
Behavioral
Intentions
Attitude
Prototype
Behavior
Behavioral
Willingness
Summary





Several factors moderate the link between attitudes
and behaviors.
Situational constraints may prevent us from
expressing our attitudes.
We often engage in activities that allow us to express
our attitudes.
Attitude formation, attitude strength, and attitude
specificity also moderate the A-B link.
Attitudes influence behavior through several
mechanisms.