Psychology · Ch 6 — Attitude and Social Cognition
Nature and Components of Attitudes
Nature and Components of Attitudes
Understanding Attitudes: More Than Just Opinions
Think about the last time you said "In my opinion..." or "I feel that...". What followed was likely an opinion — a simple thought or view about something. But when that opinion becomes emotionally charged and influences how you actually behave, it transforms into something deeper: an attitude.
An attitude is a state of mind, a set of views or thoughts about a specific topic (called the attitude object), that carries an evaluative quality — positive, negative, or neutral. It is not just a passing thought; it comes with feelings and a readiness to act in a particular way toward that object.
The Three Components of Attitude (A-B-C Model)
Every attitude has three interconnected parts, known as the A-B-C components:
| Component | What it is | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive | The thought or belief about the attitude object | The 'C' component |
| Affective | The emotional feeling associated with the object | The 'A' component |
| Behavioural | The tendency or readiness to act in a certain way | The 'B' component (or conative aspect) |
Attitudes themselves are not behaviour. They represent a tendency to behave or act in certain ways. They are part of cognition, accompanied by emotion, and cannot be directly observed from outside.
Example: A 'Green Environment' Attitude
Suppose a neighbourhood group starts a tree plantation campaign as part of a 'green environment' movement.
- Cognitive component: Based on information about the environment, you form a positive view toward a 'green environment'. You believe it is good.
- Affective component: You feel happy seeing greenery, and sad or angry when trees are cut down.
- Behavioural component: You actively participate in the tree plantation campaign.
In an ideal situation, all three components are consistent — they point in the same direction. But this is not always the case. It is possible that your cognitive component is very strong (you believe deeply in environmental protection), yet your affective and behavioural components are weaker. Or your cognitive and affective components may be strong and positive, but you do nothing about it (behavioural component is neutral). Therefore, predicting one component based on the other two may not always give an accurate picture of the attitude.
Distinguishing Attitudes from Beliefs and Values
Attitudes are closely related to two other concepts, but they are not the same:
Beliefs form the cognitive component of attitudes. They are the ground on which attitudes stand — for example, belief in God, or belief in democracy as a political ideology.
Values are attitudes or beliefs that contain a 'should' or 'ought' aspect. They are moral or ethical in nature. For example, the idea that one should work hard, or that honesty is the best policy. When a particular belief or attitude becomes an inseparable part of a person's outlook on life, it becomes a value. Consequently, values are difficult to change.
The Purpose Served by Attitudes
Attitudes provide a background that makes it easier for a person to decide how to act in new situations. For instance, your attitude toward foreigners may indirectly provide a mental 'layout' or 'blueprint' for how you should behave whenever you meet one. Attitudes simplify decision-making by giving you a ready framework for responding.
Four Key Features of Attitudes
Beyond the A-B-C components, attitudes have four significant properties:
1. Valence (Positivity or Negativity)
Valence tells us whether an attitude is positive or negative toward the attitude object. Imagine a 5-point scale for rating an attitude toward nuclear research:
- 1 = Very bad
- 2 = Bad
- 3 = Neutral (neither good nor bad)
- 4 = Good
- 5 = Very good
A rating of 4 or 5 indicates a positive attitude — the person likes the idea and thinks it is good. A rating of 1 or 2 indicates a negative attitude — the person dislikes the idea and thinks it is bad. A rating of 3 indicates a neutral attitude, which has neither positive nor negative valence.
2. Extremeness
Extremeness indicates how positive or negative an attitude is. On the same 5-point scale, a rating of 1 is as extreme as a rating of 5 — they are only opposite in direction (valence). Ratings of 2 and 4 are less extreme. A neutral attitude (3) is lowest on extremeness.
3. Simplicity or Complexity (Multiplexity)
This feature refers to how many attitudes exist within a broader attitude. Think of an attitude as a family containing several 'member' attitudes.
- An attitude system is simple if it contains only one or a few attitudes.
- An attitude system is complex if it is made up of many attitudes. …