This chapter explores attitudes and their impact on social behavior, discussing how they are formed and changed.
Attitude and Social Cognition - Quick Look Revision Guide
Your 1-page summary of the most exam-relevant takeaways from Psychology.
This compact guide covers 20 must-know concepts from Attitude and Social Cognition aligned with Class 12 preparation for Psychology. Ideal for last-minute revision or daily review.
Complete study summary
Essential formulas, key terms, and important concepts for quick reference and revision.
Key Points
Definition of Attitudes
Attitudes are evaluative judgments about objects/people that influence behavior.
A-B-C Model of Attitudes
Attitudes consist of Affective (emotions), Behavioral (actions), and Cognitive (thoughts) components.
Valence of Attitudes
Valence indicates if an attitude is positive, negative, or neutral toward an object or person.
Extremeness of Attitudes
An attitude's extremeness varies from extreme positive/negative to neutral; affects behavior predictability.
Centrality vs. Peripheral Attitudes
Central attitudes are more significant in a person's belief system; they influence related attitudes strongly.
Attitude Formation
Attitudes form through mechanisms like association, reward/punishment, modeling, and cultural norms.
Role of Family and Schools
Family and educational environments significantly shape attitudes during formative years.
Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance occurs when contradictory cognitions exist, leading individuals to change attitudes.
Fritz Heider's Balance Theory
Imbalance in triadic relationships (P-O-X) leads to attitude change for harmony.
Influence of Media
Media shapes attitudes through exposure to persuasive messages; can be beneficial or misleading.
Attitude-Behavior Consistency
Consistency occurs when attitudes strongly influence behavior, particularly when awareness exists.
Prejudice Explanation
Prejudice includes negative attitudes based on group stereotypes; can lead to discrimination.
Stereotypes and Attitudes
Stereotypes are cognitive beliefs that can underpin prejudicial attitudes toward certain groups.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
When societal prejudices influence a target group's behavior, confirming negative expectations.
Scapegoating
Scapegoating attributes a group's problems to a weaker outgroup, reinforcing negative attitudes.
Strategies for Reducing Prejudice
Education, intergroup contact, and highlighting individual identities can minimize prejudicial attitudes.
Congruent vs. Incongruent Change
Congruent changes align with existing attitudes; incongruent changes oppose them.
Two-Step Theory of Attitude Change
Involves identification with the source; change occurs when individuals mimic source's new attitude.
Role of External Pressures
External influences like social norms can pressure individuals to align behavior with attitudes.
Importance of Context in Attitude Change
Contextual factors, like social situations, heavily affect how and whether attitudes are modified.
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