Social PsychologySocial Psychology Ch. 19 Attitudes, Culture, Ch. 19 Attitudes, Culture,

and Human Relationsand Human Relations

McElhaneyMcElhaney

Project: Project:

Create a typed, 35 item test.Create a typed, 35 item test. Include 15 matching, 15 fill in the Include 15 matching, 15 fill in the

blank, and 5 multiple choice items blank, and 5 multiple choice items based on the reading handout based on the reading handout chapter 18 or 19. (to be assigned)chapter 18 or 19. (to be assigned)

All work must be original and must All work must be original and must include answer key with page include answer key with page number.number.

Or you may create a podcast (*video) Or you may create a podcast (*video) for one item related to this unit on for one item related to this unit on Social PsychologySocial Psychology

AttitudesAttitudes

– Connected to actionsConnected to actions– Connected to views of the worldConnected to views of the world– Tastes, friendships and goalsTastes, friendships and goals

““Are a mixture between belief and Are a mixture between belief and emotions that predispose a person to emotions that predispose a person to respond to others in a positive or respond to others in a positive or negative way.”negative way.”

Can be predictedCan be predicted

Attitudes are expressed in 3 waysAttitudes are expressed in 3 ways

Belief about an object or issueBelief about an object or issue Emotion=feelingsEmotion=feelings ActionsActions

Attitude FormationAttitude Formation

Direct Contact:Direct Contact: Interaction with others:Interaction with others: Child Rearing:Child Rearing: Group Membership:Group Membership: Mass Media:Mass Media: Chance conditioning:Chance conditioning:

There is a contrast between public There is a contrast between public behavior and private attitudes.behavior and private attitudes.

Factor of Factor of Immediate ConsequenceImmediate Consequence Some attitudes are acted on some Some attitudes are acted on some

notnot

LaPiere- Study- LaPiere- Study- “Not Practicing What you Preach”“Not Practicing What you Preach”

Correlations between attitudes and behavior:Correlations between attitudes and behavior: Strength of attitude-Strength of attitude- the strength of the attitude increases the strength of the attitude increases

or decreases behavior.or decreases behavior. Stability of attitude:Stability of attitude: change overtime change overtime

– Stable attitudes are more predictable than one that changesStable attitudes are more predictable than one that changes Relevance of attitudeRelevance of attitude to the behavior: to the behavior:

– Attitudes will predict behavior much better if the attitude Attitudes will predict behavior much better if the attitude measured related as exactly as possible to the behavior of measured related as exactly as possible to the behavior of interestinterest

Salience of the attitudeSalience of the attitude– Attitude is conspicuous, important, and readily accessible from Attitude is conspicuous, important, and readily accessible from

memorymemory– More Salience = more likely attitude will predict behavior.More Salience = more likely attitude will predict behavior.

Situational Pressure:Situational Pressure: – External pressure is so great-internal attitudes will have little External pressure is so great-internal attitudes will have little

effect on behavioreffect on behavior– Behavior is more influenced by external factors than internal Behavior is more influenced by external factors than internal

attitudesattitudes LaPiere Study-LaPiere Study- found found that strong situational pressure will that strong situational pressure will

override strength of attitude.override strength of attitude.

Attitude ChangeAttitude Change

Reference Group-Reference Group- is any group a is any group a person uses as standard for social person uses as standard for social comparisoncomparison““who do you identify with?”who do you identify with?”

When people change a Reference When people change a Reference group they also change attitudes.group they also change attitudes.

Attitudes can be changed through Attitudes can be changed through role play-role play- must include strong must include strong emotional experienceemotional experience

Page 700 List of Conditions to Change Page 700 List of Conditions to Change Attitudes.Attitudes.

Cognitive Dissonance TheoryCognitive Dissonance Theory

Cognition= ThoughtsCognition= Thoughts Dissonance= clashingDissonance= clashing Contradicting and clashing thoughtsContradicting and clashing thoughts cause cause

discomfortdiscomfort We have a need for consistency in We have a need for consistency in

thoughts perceptions and images.thoughts perceptions and images.

We tend to reject new information that We tend to reject new information that contradicts ideas we already hold.contradicts ideas we already hold.

Cognitive Dissonance 2Cognitive Dissonance 2 When we make a When we make a bad decisionbad decision We tend to We tend to convince ourselvesconvince ourselves that that

we’ve done the right thing-we’ve done the right thing-

Also a Also a tendency to excuse intendency to excuse in light of light of contradicting evidence…contradicting evidence…

We tend to We tend to emphasize the positiveemphasize the positive aspectsaspects

We try to minimize dissonanceWe try to minimize dissonance By By justifying justifying our bad choiceour bad choice

Brain WashingBrain Washing

= Psychological manipulation= Psychological manipulation Forced Attitude changeForced Attitude change Requires captive audienceRequires captive audience Is temporaryIs temporary Pge. 703 lists the requirements:Pge. 703 lists the requirements:

How To: Brain Washing 2How To: Brain Washing 2 Target person is Target person is isolatedisolated form main reference form main reference

groupgroup Target isTarget is made completely made completely dependentdependent on captors on captors

for needsfor needs Indoctrinating agent- is in a position to Indoctrinating agent- is in a position to reward reward

targettarget for changes in attitude or behavior for changes in attitude or behavior Make target completely helplessMake target completely helpless

– Physical and psych abusePhysical and psych abuse– Sleep deprivationSleep deprivation– HumiliationHumiliation– IsolationIsolation

Target looses and or unfreezes formal valuesTarget looses and or unfreezes formal values– Exhaustion, pressure, fear becomes unbearableExhaustion, pressure, fear becomes unbearable

Change occurs when target abandon’s all beliefsChange occurs when target abandon’s all beliefs Target cooperates to gain reliefTarget cooperates to gain relief Pairing hope and fear with pressure to conform Pairing hope and fear with pressure to conform

– Refreezes new attitudesRefreezes new attitudes

Jonestown Cult 1978Jonestown Cult 1978

Jim Jones’ People’s TempleJim Jones’ People’s Temple Jones was charismatic, persuasive Jones was charismatic, persuasive

leaderleader Followers were Isolated, Intimidated, Followers were Isolated, Intimidated,

Obedient, committed and dependentObedient, committed and dependent

CultsCults

Leader is infallibleLeader is infallible Followers do not question Followers do not question Strategy- guilt manipulation, Strategy- guilt manipulation,

isolation, deception, fear, and isolation, deception, fear, and escalating commitmentescalating commitment

High pressureHigh pressure 2.5 million people in cults2.5 million people in cults

Who Joins Cults?: Who Joins Cults?: ProfileProfile

DistressedDistressed Mild depression, indecissionMild depression, indecission Alienation from family and friendsAlienation from family and friends Need as sense of belongingNeed as sense of belonging

Conversion strategies:Conversion strategies: Intense Affection- UnderstandingIntense Affection- Understanding Isolate from people who are not cult Isolate from people who are not cult

members- family and friends members- family and friends – (former reference group)(former reference group)

Isolate from former valuesIsolate from former values Use drills, discipline, rituals Use drills, discipline, rituals

– Wears people down physical and emotional Wears people down physical and emotional resistance is reducedresistance is reduced

Discourages critical thinkingDiscourages critical thinking Generates feelings of commitmentGenerates feelings of commitment Gets small commitment at first then Gets small commitment at first then

encourages larger commitmentsencourages larger commitments

PrejudicePrejudice

DiscriminationDiscrimination

AggressionAggression

Frustration Aggression HypothesisFrustration Aggression Hypothesis

Aversive StimuliAversive Stimuli

Aggressive CuesAggressive Cues

Social Learning, Aggression, and Social Learning, Aggression, and BanduraBandura