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Lecture contents
Definitions and conceptualisations of attitudes.
Self-report measures.
The Theory of Planned Behaviour. The Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion. Cognitive dissonance and self-persuasion.
What is an attitude?
...a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favour or disfavour.
Eagly & Chaiken (1993, p. 1)
Affect, plus Behavioural tendency, plus Cognitions about likely consequences of behaviour.
Acknowledges complexity of attitude-behaviour link. Postulates an attitude - intention - behaviour sequence. Acknowledges the potential influence of social expectations on behaviour.
Petty & Cacioppos (1986) elaboration likelihood (dual-process) model of persuasion (ELM)
Attitude change can follow a central route or a peripheral route.
Motivation
Involvement
Communicator credibility
Credibility is affected by perceived:
Competence Expertise Knowledge Trustworthiness Impartiality Astuteness
Dissonance is aversive and motivating. The easiest form of dissonance reduction will be taken. Dissonance may be reduced directly or indirectly.
I was working hard on a more important essay. Add consonant cognitions. Chocolate mousse is very Reduce theMinimize perc ei ved di ssonan ce: the importance of I dont care if Im overweight This will help me pull my socks up. Reduce the perceived I had no choice; the mousse Reduce the perceived control:
choice. was prepared for this special occasion. the conflict. life is short!
Justifying effort.
Justifying decision-making.
Insufficient deterrence.
Aronson & Carlsmith (1963)
Hypocrisy paradigm.
Stone et al. (1994) Dickerson et al. (1992)
Justifying effort
Voluntarily undertaking qualification seemingly too arduous or unpleasant for the prize obtained leads to dissonance. This dissonance may be reduced by cognitively downplaying the qualification and/or enhancing the attractiveness of the prize. Seminal paper is Aronson & Mills (1959).
Justifying decision-making
Many free choices incur some negative consequences and/or knowingly forgo some positive ones. Both of these cognitions may lead to dissonance. Dissonance may be reduced, respectively, by:
re-evaluating the accepted negative characteristics more positively, re-evaluating the knowingly foregone positive ones more negatively.
Bem (1967)
No need for postulation of dissonance.