Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior


Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior Beliefs, attitudes, and values Cognitive structure Attitude-behavior consistency Historical research Criticisms Methodological Theoretical Explanations for inconsistency


Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior Beliefs, attitudes, and values Cognitive structure Attitude-behavior consistency Historical research Criticisms Methodological Theoretical Explanations for inconsistency


What is a belief?: What is a belief? The perception of a relationship between two objects or something and a characteristic of it Bananas are yellow Physical activity is boring Lawyers are dishonest Bob loves Jane


Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior Beliefs, attitudes, and values Cognitive structure Attitude-behavior consistency Historical research Criticisms Methodological Theoretical Explanations for inconsistency


The relationship of beliefs to attitudes: The relationship of beliefs to attitudes Beliefs are translated into attitudes through values BELIEF: Lawyers overcharge their clients VALUE: Fairness ATTITUDE: I don’t like lawyers


Cognitive structure: Cognitive structure Beliefs: Lawyers overcharge their clients Values: Fairness Attitude: I don’t like lawyers


Cognitive structure: Cognitive structure Beliefs: Lawyers overcharge their clients Lawyers help their clients lie Values: Fairness Honesty Attitude: I don’t like lawyers


Cognitive structure: Cognitive structure Beliefs: Lawyers overcharge their clients Lawyers help their clients lie Lawyers help rich people Values: Fairness Honesty Equality Attitude: I don’t like lawyers


Cognitive structure: Cognitive structure Beliefs: Lawyers overcharge their clients Lawyers help their clients lie Lawyers help everybody Values: Fairness Honesty Equality Attitude: I don’t like lawyers


Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior Beliefs, attitudes, and values Cognitive structure Attitude-behavior consistency Historical research Criticisms Methodological Theoretical Explanations for inconsistency


Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior Beliefs, attitudes, and values Cognitive structure Attitude-behavior consistency Historical research Criticisms Methodological Theoretical Explanations for inconsistency


Classic studies in attitude-behavior consistency: Classic studies in attitude-behavior consistency LaPiere Kutner Wicker (1969)--review of attitude-behavior studies Average correlation [r] = .30 % of variance in behavior explained = 9% (r2)


Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams: Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 Attitude Behavior Freq Never Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree


Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams: Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 Attitude Behavior Freq Never Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree


Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams: Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 Attitude Behavior Freq Never Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree


Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams: Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 Attitude Behavior Freq Never Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree r = 1.0


Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams: Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 Attitude Behavior Freq Never Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree


Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams: Attitude-behavior correlation: Cheating on exams 1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 Attitude Behavior Freq Never Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree r = 0


Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior Beliefs, attitudes, and values Cognitive structure Attitude-behavior consistency Historical research Criticisms Methodological Theoretical Explanations for inconsistency


Criticisms of classic research: Criticisms of classic research Methodological Not necessarily measured the same person Two measures of behavior (no measure of attitude) Used only single measures (low reliability) Theoretical Ignoring social norms


Weigel & Neuman (1976): Weigel & Neuman (1976) Measured attitudes toward environment (20 item scale) Also measured six environmentally related behaviors, e.g., Signing a petition against off shore oil drilling Leaving newspapers out for recycling weekly over a period of 8 weeks


Weigel & Neuman results: Weigel & Neuman results Each behavior by itself correlated about .29 with the attitude scale All the behaviors added together (a behavior scale) correlated .68 with the attitude scale


Weigel & Neuman: Weigel & Neuman Attitude1 Behavior1 Attitude2 Behavior2 Attitude3 Behavior3 Attitude4 Behavior4 Attitude5 Behavior5


Weigel & Neuman: Weigel & Neuman Attitude1 Behavior1 Attitude2 Behavior2 Attitude3 Behavior3 Attitude4 Behavior4 Attitude5 Behavior5 r = .30


Weigel & Neuman: Weigel & Neuman Attitude1 Behavior1 Attitude2 Behavior2 Attitude3 Behavior3 Attitude4 Behavior4 Attitude5 Behavior5 r = .30


Weigel & Neuman: Weigel & Neuman Attitude1 Behavior1 Attitude2 Behavior2 Attitude3 Behavior3 Attitude4 Behavior4 Attitude5 Behavior5 r = .30


Weigel & Neuman: Weigel & Neuman Attitude1 Behavior1 Attitude2 Behavior2 Attitude3 Behavior3 Attitude4 Behavior4 Attitude5 Behavior5 r = .70


Weigel & Neuman results: Weigel & Neuman results Each behavior by itself correlated about .29 with the attitude scale All the behaviors added together (a behavior scale) correlated .68 with the attitude scale CONCLUSION: High attitude-behavior consistency when both measured reliably and situational pressures not overwhelming attitudes


Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behavior Beliefs, attitudes, and values Cognitive structure Attitude-behavior consistency Historical research Criticisms Methodological Theoretical Explanations for inconsistency Classical conditioning


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US unconditioned stimulus


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR unconditioned response


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS conditioned stimulus


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR conditioned response


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR meat powder


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR meat powder salivating


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR meat powder salivating bell


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR meat powder salivating bell salivating


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR Obscene, vulgar words


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR Obscene, vulgar words Negative emotional reaction


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR Obscene, vulgar words Negative emotional reaction Ethnic group


Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Classical conditioning of emotional responses US UR CS CR Obscene, vulgar words Negative emotional reaction Ethnic group Negative emotional reaction


Instructions: Instructions These statements concern your personal reactions to a number of different situations. No two statements are exactly alike, so consider each statement carefully before answering. If a statement is TRUE or MOSTLY TRUE as applied to you, mark T; if a statement is FALSE or MOSTLY FALSE, mark F.


Self-monitoring (Mark Snyder): Self-monitoring (Mark Snyder) Concern for social appropriateness Sensitive to self-presentation of others Used as guidelines for monitoring own self-presentation Two components of self-monitoring Interest in social information Ability to control self-presentation


Self-monitors’ interest in social comparison: Self-monitors’ interest in social comparison Subjects given a self-descriptive (T-F) “personality test” [designed to facilitate self-monitoring] Given opportunity to consult “majority response sheet” D.V.: Observer noted frequency of looking at sheet and length of time spent looking High self-monitors: looked more frequently for longer time


Expression of emotion: Expression of emotion Different groups’ ability to convey emotion Students Actors Hospitalized mental patients Communication of emotion Subjects conveyed seven different emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, guilt Judges guessed emotions


Expression of emotion: Expression of emotion Different groups’ ability to convey emotion Students mean=14 Actors Hospitalized mental patients Communication of emotion Subjects conveyed seven different emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, guilt Judges guessed emotions


Expression of emotion: Expression of emotion Different groups’ ability to convey emotion Students mean=14 Actors mean=18.4 Hospitalized mental patients Communication of emotion Subjects conveyed seven different emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, guilt Judges guessed emotions


Expression of emotion: Expression of emotion Different groups’ ability to convey emotion Students mean=14 Actors mean=18.4 Hospitalized mental patients mean=10.3 Communication of emotion Subjects conveyed seven different emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, guilt Judges guessed emotions


Expression of emotion: Expression of emotion Different groups’ ability to convey emotion Students mean=14 Actors mean=18.4 Hospitalized mental patients mean=10.3 Communication of emotion Subjects conveyed seven different emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, guilt Judges guessed emotions High SM conveyed emotions better


Self-monitoring and attitude-behavior correlations: Self-monitoring and attitude-behavior correlations High self-monitors have lower attitude-behavior correlations Their behavior is less reflective of their actual attitudes; more in line with what they think is socially appropriate