Attitude Change

Definition

Attitude change refers to the process of modifying or altering an individual's beliefs, feelings, and behavioral tendencies towards a particular object, person, or issue. It is a central concept in the study of persuasion and social influence, as it explores how attitudes can be shaped and transformed through various means.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Attitude change can occur through both direct and indirect means, such as personal experience, social influence, and exposure to persuasive messages.
2. The strength and direction of attitude change can be influenced by factors like the source credibility, message content, and individual characteristics of the recipient.
3. Attitude change can lead to changes in behavior, as individuals often seek to align their actions with their modified attitudes.
4. Resistance to attitude change can occur when individuals have strong, deeply-held beliefs or when they are motivated to maintain their existing attitudes.
5. Attitude change can have significant implications for various domains, including marketing, political campaigns, and health behavior interventions.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) can be used to understand the process of attitude change.
  • The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) is a dual-process theory that describes two routes through which attitude change can occur: the central route and the peripheral route. The central route involves systematic processing of the message content, where individuals carefully consider the arguments and evidence presented. This typically leads to more enduring and resistant attitude change. In contrast, the peripheral route involves heuristic processing, where individuals rely on cues like source credibility or emotional appeals to form or change their attitudes. Attitude changes through the peripheral route are often less stable and more susceptible to change. Understanding the ELM can help explain the various mechanisms by which attitudes can be modified, depending on factors such as the individual's motivation and ability to engage in effortful information processing.
• Describe how cognitive dissonance can contribute to attitude change.
  • Cognitive dissonance refers to the mental discomfort experienced when an individual's beliefs, values, or behaviors are inconsistent. This dissonance can motivate the individual to change their attitudes in order to reduce the discomfort and achieve cognitive consistency. For example, if an individual holds the belief that smoking is unhealthy, but they continue to smoke, the resulting cognitive dissonance may lead them to change their attitude towards smoking, either by rationalizing their behavior (e.g., 'the risks are not that bad') or by changing their behavior (e.g., quitting smoking). The desire to resolve this dissonance can be a powerful driver of attitude change, as individuals seek to align their attitudes with their actions or beliefs.
• Analyze how social influence can shape attitude change, particularly in the context of persuasion.
  • Social influence plays a significant role in shaping attitude change, especially in the context of persuasion. Individuals are often influenced by the attitudes and behaviors of those around them, including family, friends, and respected authorities. Persuasive messages that leverage social proof, such as highlighting the widespread acceptance of a particular attitude or behavior, can be highly effective in changing attitudes. Additionally, the credibility and perceived expertise of the source of a persuasive message can also influence the degree of attitude change. For instance, individuals may be more likely to change their attitudes if the message comes from a trusted or influential source. Social norms and the desire to conform to group expectations can also contribute to attitude change, as individuals may modify their attitudes to align with the perceived attitudes of their social circles.

Related terms

Persuasion: The process of changing or shaping an individual's attitude through the use of appeals, arguments, and various communication strategies.

Cognitive Dissonance: The mental discomfort experienced when an individual's beliefs, values, or behaviors are inconsistent, leading to a motivation to reduce this dissonance and change attitudes accordingly.

Elaboration Likelihood Model: A dual-process theory that explains how attitudes can be changed through either a central route (systematic processing) or a peripheral route (heuristic processing).