SP - Attitude Formation & Attitude Change Lesson

Learning Targets:

• Describe how stereotypes and implicit attitudes influence behaviors and mental processes, leading to prejudice and discrimination.
• Describe how belief perseverance and cognitive dissonance influence the formation and modification of attitudes.

Courtesy of the AP psychology course and exam description, effective fall 2024. (n.d.). Links to an external site.

 

Understanding Stereotypes 

Stereotypes, which are generalized beliefs about a particular group, play a significant role in shaping our behaviors and mental processes when it comes to prejudice and discrimination. While stereotypes can sometimes help reduce the cognitive load in decision-making or judgment, they can also lead to biased perceptions and experiences. These biased perceptions, in turn, can reinforce existing stereotypes and contribute to developing prejudiced attitudes and discriminatory behaviors. It is important to be aware of the impact of stereotypes and implicit attitudes to challenge and overcome prejudices and discrimination in our society.

Attitudes

Attitudes are our learned tendency to evaluate some object, person, or issue in a particular way. Attitudes can be positive, negative, ambivalent, or mixed. Attitudes have three components:

The Effects of Attitude on Behavior

Usually, actions guide our attitudes, but sometimes we find ourselves in situations where our attitudes guide our actions. Attitudes tend to guide our actions if:

• Attitudes are extreme or frequently expressed.
• They have been formed through direct experience.
• You are knowledgeable about the subject.
• You have something personally to gain or lose by a particular outcome.

When actions guide attitudes, you will change your attitude to make it consistent with your behavior. For example, say you hate running. If you begin running regularly, your attitude towards running changes.

Implicit Attitudes

 Implicit attitudes are unconscious biases that individuals may hold without being aware of them. These attitudes can impact our thoughts, feelings, and actions towards different social groups, often leading to discriminatory behaviors even if we consciously believe in equality. Understanding and addressing our stereotypes and implicit attitudes can reduce prejudice and discrimination in our communities and promote inclusivity and acceptance for all individuals.

 

Review how implicit attitudes reflect negative evaluations of others.

 

Understanding Belief Perseverance 

Belief perseverance is a fascinating psychological phenomenon where individuals continue to hold onto a belief or attitude even when faced with contradictory evidence. This can significantly impact attitude formation and change. For example, imagine a student who strongly believes that they are not good at math. Despite receiving a good grade on a math test, they might attribute it to luck rather than acknowledging their ability. This demonstrates belief perseverance in action, as the student is maintaining their negative attitude towards math despite evidence indicating otherwise. This concept highlights the importance of being open-minded and willing to consider new information in order to truly evaluate and potentially change our attitudes and beliefs.

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance describes the unpleasant state of psychological tensions occurring because of inconsistent thoughts or perceptions.Cognitive dissonance occurs when one has two conflicting attitudes, the original attitude vs. the realization that you behaved in a way inconsistent with the attitude. When the two clash we feel motivated to justify our actions, thus changing attitudes to match our behaviors.

Cognitive dissonance describes the unpleasant state of psychological tensions occurring because of inconsistent thoughts or perceptions. Cognitive dissonance occurs when one has two conflicting attitudes, the original attitude vs. the realization that you behaved in a way inconsistent with the attitude. When the two clash we feel motivated to justify our actions, thus changing attitudes to match our behaviors.

Imagine a person who strongly believes in the importance of environmental conservation but regularly forgets to recycle or chooses to drive a gas-guzzling car. This individual may experience cognitive dissonance as their actions contradict their beliefs. In order to reduce this discomfort, they may either change their behavior to align with their belief in conservation (such as making a conscious effort to recycle and use eco-friendly transportation) or alter their belief to justify their actions (downplaying the impact of their choices on the environment). This internal conflict highlights how cognitive dissonance can influence our attitudes and behaviors.

 

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