Social Psychology
Lecture I
Topic: Attitudes
Sequence of hegemonies in Social psychology
1. The attitude measurement era – 1920s and 1930s
2. The groups dynamics interlude – 1935 – 1955
3. The attitude change era – 1950s and 1960s
a.
b.
The convergent approach in the 1950s
The divergent approach in the 1960s
4. The social cognition interlude – 1965 – 1985
a.
Social representational cognitive reduction
I.
II.
b.
Encoding: Meaning-giving implicit theories
Decoding: Response-channelling templates
Social inferential cognitive extrapolation
I.
II.
III.
Meaning attribution
Person perception
Cognitiveramifications
5. The attitude structure era – 1980s and 1990s
a.
b.
c.
Structure of individual attitudes
Structure within systems of attitudes
Structures linking attitudes to other personal systems
McGuire, W. J. (1986). The vicissitudes of attitudes and similar representational constructs in twentieth century
psychology. European Journal of Social Psychology, 16, 89-130.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Introduction
An attitude is a person‘s (P, attitude subject) predisposition to react in
a certain way towards a stimulus (attitude object).
Attitude subject/holder
P
Attitude object
Chancellor
(smoking, nuclear power plants,…)
(Attitude) reaction
Affective/emotional/evaluative
to like, to love, to admire
Cognitive/beliefs/conviction/
knowledge
assertive, intelligent, insistent
Conative/behavior intention
to get to know in person,
to elect
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Topic: Attitudes
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Expectancy-Value-Models of Attitudes
Attitude towards an object O:
AO
Cognitive component:
bi
Belief/subjective probability
that O is associated with a certain characteristic/attribute
Affective component:
ei
Evaluation of the attribute in question 1, 2, …, i
AO = biei
attitude object O
bi (0 ≤ p ≤ 1)
attribute (i)
ei (-2 ≤ e ≤ +2)
Smoking is associated with
.50
pulmonary damage
.70
relaxation
.60
sociability
…
…………………
AO = (.50 x -2) + (.70 x 1) + (.60 x 1) = .30
-2
+1
+1
……
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Topic: Attitudes
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Examples
For the measurement of perceived product features (cognitive component):
It is … that cars of the brand X are safe.
very likely
very unlikely
For the measurement of the evaluation (affective component):
It is … that cars of the brand X are safe.
very good
very bad
One-item scale (unclear dimension):
How do you evaluate the brand X?
very bad
bad
good
very good
From Kroebel-Riel (1984)
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Topic: Attitudes
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How to create a Likert Scale – step by step
•
•
•
•
Compilation of an item-pool
Pretest (sample 1)
Item selection (by using, among others, item-total correlation)
Application of the final measurement instrument (sample 2)
Likert, R. A. (1932). A technique for the measurement of attitudes. Archives of Psychology, 22, 5 – 55.
Social psychology I
Topic: Attitudes
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Example: Likert Scale
There are too many foreigners in Germany. Therefore, there needs to be violent
action against them.
I agree
I quite agree
I don‘t know
I don‘t quite agree
I don‘t agree
I can‘t understand people who resort to violence against foreigners.
I agree
I quite agree
I don‘t know
I don‘t quite agree
I don‘t agree
Participating in violent actions is not an effective form of political participation.
I agree
I quite agree
I don‘t know
I don‘t quite agree
I don‘t agree
The increasing influx of foreigners has to be stopped at all costs, also with violence, if
necessary.
I agree
Social psychology I
I quite agree
I don‘t know
Topic: Attitudes
I don‘t quite agree
I don‘t agree
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Participants
Rolf
-1
Alfons
+1
Sarah
+2
r (Item-total)
r = .71
I can‘t understand people who
resort to violence against
foreigners.
+1 (-1)
-1 (+1)
-1 (+1)
r = .37
Participating in violent actions
is not an effective form of political
participation.
+2
0
+2
r = .12
Sum
0
+2
+5
There are too many foreigners
in Germany. Therefore, there
needs to be violent action against
them.
Social psychology I
Topic: Attitudes
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Example: Semantic Differential
I would like to ask you to assess yourself on the following adjective scales. As before, I am interested in your
spontaneous impression. Afterwards, there will be further questions concerning your person. Of course, these
data will be treated in strict confidence.
conforming
good
weak
fast
unfair
hard
passive
dynamic
unpleasant
energetic
motionless
sincere
negative
powerful
instable
insistent
bad
strong
slow
fair
soft
active
statical
pleasant
lethargic
in motion
insincere
positive
powerless
stable
Osgood, C. E., Suci, G. J. & Tannenbaum, P. H. (1957). The measurement of meaning, Urbana, IL: University of
Illinois Press.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Example
Trait profile for two cigarette brands
high
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
deep
weak
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
strong
rough
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
smooth
active
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
passive
hollow
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
entire
small
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
large
cold
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
warm
young
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
old
soft
O------O------O------O------O------O------O------O
wild
smokers judging „other“ brand
smokers judging „own“ brand X
From Hofstätter & Lübbert (1958, Table 1, S. 76)
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Topic: Attitudes
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Classical Conditioning
unconditioned reflex
US
UR
conditioned reflex
NS
CS
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Topic: Attitudes
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rejection
Staats & Staats (1958): Classical conditioning and
attitude change
Dutch
Dutch
Dutch
negative
positive
Swedish
Swedish
Swedish
negative
positiv
Staats, A. W. & Staats, C. K. (1958). Attitudes established by classical conditioning. Journal of Abnormal and
Social Psychology, 57, 37-40.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Hovland, Janis, & Kelley: The Yale attitude change
approach
• Attitude change by persuasive communication
Source
Message
Audience
trustworthiness
expertise
self-interest
status
likeability
written, auditive, visuell
starting vs. end position
one- vs. two-sided
arousing fear
persuasibility
intelligence
self-esteem
sex
initial position
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Topic: Attitudes
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Processes during the reception of a persuasive
message
Attention
Comprehension
Acceptance
(Attitude change)
Persistence
Behavioral change
McGuire, B. (2000). Stranding on the shoulders of ancients: Consumer research, persuasion and figurative
language. Journal of Consumer Research, 27, 109-114.
Social psychology I
Topic: Attitudes
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Petty & Cacioppo: The elaboration likelihood model
(ELM)
Ability and motivation (involvement) to elaborate a message
low
high
peripheral route
v
to persuasion
central route
v
to persuasion
no careful examination
of arguments
careful examination
of arguments
high influence of
peripheral cues
low influence of
peripheral cues
low persistence
high persistence
low consistency between
attitudes and behavior
high consistency between
attitudes and behavior
Petty, R. E. & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). Communication and persuasion: Central and peripheral routes of attitude change.
New York: Springer.
Petty, R. E. & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). The elaboration likelihood model of persuasion. In L. Berkowitz (ed.), Advances in
Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 19. (pp. 123-205). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Chaiken, S. (1987). The heuristic model of persuation. In M. P. Zanna, J. M. Olsen & C. P. Herman (eds.), Social influence:
The Ontario symposium. Vol. 5. (pp. 3-39). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. (Grundlage – eine Alternative zum ELM)
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Topic: Attitudes
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Petty, Cacioppo & Goldman (1981)
Low issue involvement
High issue involvement
Positive attitude change
Positive attitude change
strong argument
quality
strong argument
quality
weak argument
quality
high
expertise
source
low
expertise
source
weak argument
quality
high
expertise
source
low
expertise
source
Petty, R. E., Cacioppo, J. T. & Goldman, R. (1981). Personal involvement as a determinant of argument-based
persuation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 847-855.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Summary of studies of attitude-behavior relationship
(Wicker, 1969)
Investigator(s)
Overt behavior
n
Strength of
relationship
A Jobs, industrial organization and work
Vroom (1964)
employees
one´s job
(Review of 15 studies)
job performance
range:
40-890
Bernberg (1952)
one´s job
job absence
890
median r = .14
range: .68 to .03
r = .01
one´s job
job absence
489
r = -.07
one´s job
job resignation
480
flight training
program
flight training
program
dropping out of program
210
biserial r = .20;
.05
Kendall´s tau =
.22; .11
dropping out of program
123
Chinese
providing service to Chinese
128
9%
Negroes
providing service to Chinese
11
45%; 0%
Negroes
willing to have picture taken
with a Negro and widely
distributed
46
70%
Vroom (1962)
Subjects
aircraft plant
employees
oil company
employees
insurance agents
Weitz & Nuckols
(1952)
Webb & Hollander
Air Force Cadets
(1952)
Sagi, Olmstead &
college students
Atelsek (1955)
B Members of minority groups
LaPiere (1934)
hotel & restaurant
proprietors
Kutner, Wilkins &
hotel & restaurant
Yarrow (1952)
proprietors
Defleur & Westie
college students
(1952)
Attitude object
Wicker, A. W. (1969). Attitudes vs. Action: The relationship of verbal and overt behavioral responses to attitude objects.
Journal of Social Issues, 25, 41-78.
LaPiere, R. T. (1934). Attitudes vs. Action. Social Forces, 13, 230-249.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Factors that increase attitude-behavior consistency
1. The attitudes has been formed on the central route to
persuasion.
2. The attitude is based on direct experience with the attitude
object.
3. The persons shows low self-monitoring.
4. The person is in the state of high objective self-awareness.
5. Attitude and behavior are measured on the same level of
specification.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Corresponding attitude-behavior measurement (Ajzen
& Fishbein, 1977)
Entity
Attitude
Behavior
action
element
target
element
context
element
time
Ajzen, I. & Fishbein, M. (1977). Attitude behavior relations: A theoretical analysis and review of empirical
research. Psychological Bullletin, 34, 888-918.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Ajzen & Fishbein (1980): A theory of reasoned action
Person‘s belief that behavior leads to
certain outcomes
X
Evaluation of these outcomes
Attitude towards the behavior
Relative importance of
attitudinal and normative
considerations
Person‘s beliefs that specific individuals
/ groups think he should (not) perform
the behavior
X
Motivation to comply with these
referents
Intention
Behavior
Subjective norm
Ajzen, I. & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding attitudes and predicting social behavior. Englewood-Cliffs, NJ; PrenticeHall.
Frey, D., Stahlberg, D. & Gollwitzer, P. M. (1993). Einstellung und Verhalten; Die Theorie des überlegten Handeln und die
Theorie des geplanten Verhaltens. In D. Frey & M. Irle (Hrsg.), Kognitive Theorien der Sozialpsychologie, Band 1, (S. 362398). Bern: Huber.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Example - theory of reasoned action (1)
Ab = 𝒊=𝟏 𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐢
Attitude object =
behavior
Consequences i
bi
ei
subj. Probability that
behavior is associated
with consequence i (0 ≤ p ≤ 1)
evaluation of the
consequence i
(-2 ≤ e ≤ +2)
Church attendance
on Sunday,
9 a.m., St. Laurentius
1
.70
No „Sendung mit
der Maus“
subsequent
morning pint
-1
+2
Ab = (1 x -1) + (.70 x 2) = .40
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Topic: Attitudes
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Example - theory of reasoned action (2)
SNb = 𝒋=𝟏 𝐛𝐣𝐦𝐣
Attitude object =
behavior
important others j
bj
mj
subj. probability that
j expects target behavior
(0 ≤ p ≤ 1)
motivation to comply to
j‘s expectancy
(-2 ≤ e ≤ +2)
Church attendance
On Sunday,
9 a.m., St. Laurentius
.70
grand parents
+2
1
pastor
0
SNb = (.70 x +2) + (1 x 0) = 1.40
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Topic: Attitudes
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Ajzen & Madden (1986): Theory of planned behavior
Attitude
towards the
Behavior
Social
norms
Behavior intention
Behavior
Perceived behavioral
control
Ajzen, I. & Madden, T. J. (1986). Prediction of goal directed behavior: attitudes, intentions, amd perceived
behavior control. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 22, 453-474.
Bamberg, S. & Schmidt, P. (1993). Verkehrsmittelwahl – eine Anwendung der Theorie geplanten Verhaltens.
Zeitschrift für Sozialpsychologie, 24, 25-37.
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Topic: Attitudes
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Example – Theory of planned behavior
Living in own house
Attitude towards using an
organic waste collection bin
Application for
an owc bin
Subjective norm
Perceived behavior control
(locus of control)
Klocke, U. & Wagner, U. (2000). Bedingungen umweltbewussten Verhaltens bei der Anschaffung einer
Biotonne. Umweltpsychologie, 4, 68-83.
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Topic: Attitudes
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