Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 55 views

    Social Psychology: Theory of Attitudes and Behaviour

    Uploaded by

    Nicolae Ştefan
    This document provides an overview of theories of attitudes and behavior, including: 1. The relationship between beliefs, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and actual behavior according to the Theory of Reasoned Action. 2. The Theory of Planned Behavior which adds the concept of perceived behavioral control to account for behaviors not fully under volitional control. 3. Criticisms of early models that intention is not the only predictor of behavior, and that factors like past behavior, situational influences, and social norms also impact the attitude-behavior relationship.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Social Psychology: Theory of Attitudes and Behaviour

    Uploaded by

    Nicolae Ştefan
    55 views35 pages
    This document provides an overview of theories of attitudes and behavior, including: 1. The relationship between beliefs, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and actual behavior according to the Theory of Reasoned Action. 2. The Theory of Planned Behavior which adds the concept of perceived behavioral control to account for behaviors not fully under volitional control. 3. Criticisms of early models that intention is not the only predictor of behavior, and that factors like past behavior, situational influences, and social norms also impact the attitude-behavior relationship.

    Original Description:

    tr@$

    Original Title

    Lecture8_(2003) Attitude Thoery and Behaviour

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document provides an overview of theories of attitudes and behavior, including: 1. The relationship between beliefs, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and actual behavior according to the Theory of Reasoned Action. 2. The Theory of Planned Behavior which adds the concept of perceived behavioral control to account for behaviors not fully under volitional control. 3. Criticisms of early models that intention is not the only predictor of behavior, and that factors like past behavior, situational influences, and social norms also impact the attitude-behavior relationship.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    55 views35 pages

    Social Psychology: Theory of Attitudes and Behaviour

    Uploaded by

    Nicolae Ştefan
    This document provides an overview of theories of attitudes and behavior, including: 1. The relationship between beliefs, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and actual behavior according to the Theory of Reasoned Action. 2. The Theory of Planned Behavior which adds the concept of perceived behavioral control to account for behaviors not fully under volitional control. 3. Criticisms of early models that intention is not the only predictor of behavior, and that factors like past behavior, situational influences, and social norms also impact the attitude-behavior relationship.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 35

    Social Psychology

    Lecture 8
    Theory of attitudes and
    behaviour
    (2003)

    Jane Clarbour
    Room PS/B007 email: jc129

    Objectives
    Specify the relationship between:
    Beliefs and attitudes
    Attitudes and behavioural intentions
    Behavioural intentions and behaviour

    Demonstrate an understanding of the


    differences between:
    The Theory of Reasoned Action
    The Theory of Planned behaviour

    Collectivist vs. Individualist cultures


    Collectivist

    Individualist

    Identity based on social


    system and given by group
    Socialised to be emotionally
    dependent on organisations/
    institutions
    Consistency between group
    goals and personal goals
    Social behaviour thought to
    be more determined by social
    norms and roles than by
    personal attitudes

    Identity based in the


    individual
    Socialised to be emotionally
    independent
    Personal and group goals are
    inconsistent
    Social behaviour thought to
    be more determined by
    attitudes than social roles or
    norms

    Influence of individualismcollectivism on attitude formation


    Values hierarchy designed to
    provide information relating to
    importance of either individualist
    or collectivist values for selfconcept
    If individualist values are more central they
    will have greater influence in shaping
    attitudes and behaviour (Franzoi, 2000).

    Attitudes as explanation for social


    behaviour

    Attitudes have three main


    functions:
    1. They help define social groups
    2. Help to establish personal identity
    3. Mediate thinking and behaviour
    i.e Mandela is famous for his attitude
    towards apartheid. Explanation for
    social motivation

    But what is meant by attitude?

    Diversity of attitude definitions


    Definitions of attitude are
    ambiguous and may include
    reference to:
    Attribution of dispositions
    Behavioural intentions
    Evaluations

    Attitudes as learned predisposition


    Fishbein & Ajzen (1975)

    A learned predisposition to respond in a


    consistently favourable or unfavourable
    manner with respect to a given object
    Predisposition
    Associationist
    implication of attitude development through
    repeated experience of behavioural consequence

    Attitudes as expressed evaluations


    Eagly & Chaiken (1993)

    Attitude is a psychological tendency that is


    expressed by evaluating a particular entity
    with some degree of favour or disfavour

    More cognitive than Fishbein & Ajzen


    More emphasis on evaluation (favour/disfavour)
    Less emphasis on how gained (ie learned)
    More social

    Attitudes and behaviour


    LaPiere (1934) racial prejudice
    Attitudes to Chinese
    Will you accept members of the Chinese race as
    guests in your establishment?

    Inconsistency between attitude and


    behaviour
    Concluded attitudes should be studied from
    behaviour in actual social settings

    Review of attitude-behaviour
    relationship (Wicker, 1969)
    No attitude-behaviour relationship
    (mean .15)
    Psychometric inadequacies
    (1 item measure)

    Principle of aggregation
    LaPieres poor prediction of behaviour used a
    general measure of attitude to try to predict a
    specific action rather than a general action.

    Diversity of measurement
    (Ajzen, 1988)

    Response
    categories

    Affect

    Cognition

    Behaviour

    Verbal

    Expressions of
    feelings towards
    attitude object

    Expressions of
    beliefs about
    attitude object

    Expression of
    behavioural
    intentions
    towards attitude
    object

    Non-verbal

    Physiological
    responses to
    attitude object

    Perceptual
    responses (e.g.
    reaction times)
    to attitude
    object

    Overt
    behavioural
    responses to
    attitude object

    Ambiguity of definition
    Attitudes are learned
    Attitudes predispose action
    Actions are consistently favourable
    or unfavourable towards the object

    Three types of consistency


    1. Stimulus-response
    consistency
    2. Response-response
    consistency
    3. Evaluative consistency

    Theory of reasoned action


    (Fishbein

    & Azjen, 1975)

    Problems arise from lack of clarity of which


    aspects are most important in definition of
    attitude and how should be measured
    Must distinguish between
    Attitude
    Beliefs
    Behaviour

    Theory of reasoned action


    (Fishbein

    & Azjen, 1975)

    Attitude:
    Main feature is its evaluative (or affective) nature
    Measurement should be bipolar in relation to affect

    Beliefs:
    The information a person has about an object
    Measurement should be dimensional in relation to
    subjective strength of belief

    Behaviour:
    The observable acts that are studied in their own right
    Measurement of behaviour should not be taken to infer
    attitude

    Relationships between these


    distinctions:
    Stage 1.

    Beliefs:

    Links an object to some attribute


    E.g. China is a totalitarian state
    Object

    attribute

    Small dogs are snappy

    Conceptual structure relating beliefs, attitudes, intentions


    And behaviours to a given object Fishbein & Ajzen (1975)
    Beliefs about
    object
    X
    1
    2
    3
    4
    .
    .
    .
    .
    N

    Influence

    Attitude
    toward
    object X

    feedback

    Intentions
    with respect
    to object
    X

    Behaviours
    with respect to
    object
    X

    1
    2
    3
    4
    .
    .
    .
    N

    1
    2
    3
    4
    .
    .
    .
    N

    Conceptual structure
    Beliefs as foundations for attitudes
    Knowledge about object
    Determines attitudes, intentions &
    behaviour

    Used for
    Making judgements
    Forming evaluations
    Decision making

    Stage 1: 3 main sources of beliefs


    1. Primary sources

    Direct observation

    2. Inference

    e.g. person with negative attitude towards


    communist China and who positively values
    freedom of religion may infer that China has no
    religious freedom, even though no direct
    information on this point

    3. Information from a secondary


    source

    e.g. peers, newspapers, parents, books

    Stage 2:

    Attitudes

    Attitude to object is based on


    salient beliefs
    (a) That the object has certain
    attributes
    (b) How the person evaluates the
    particular attributes
    Evaluation of specific belief to object
    (not beliefs in general)
    So, its the evaluation of the belief
    attitude formation

    Stage 3:

    Intentions

    Attitude to an object is related to


    persons intention to perform a variety
    of behaviours with respect to the object
    Intention relates to belief in respect of evaluation
    of behavioural consequences rather than
    attributes of object
    Not just one behaviour, but whole set
    So, might expect consistency

    Based upon subjective norms

    Theory of Reasoned Action

    Prediction of goal directed behaviour


    (from Azjen & Maddson, 1986)

    Attitude
    towards a
    behaviour
    Intention

    Subjective
    norms

    Behaviour

    Intention-behaviour relationship
    Intentions and behaviours must be
    measured at same level of specificity
    Behaviour, target, situation, time
    The closer the correspondence of these factors
    the greater the correlation between intention
    and behaviour

    Subjective norms
    A persons beliefs that key people would
    or would not behave that way
    A persons motivation to comply with
    what these people think
    So includes process of conformity as
    mediator against attitude and behaviour

    Stage 4:

    Behaviour

    Each intention is viewed as related to


    the corresponding behaviour
    Assumption that most social behaviour is
    volitional
    A person should perform the behaviour that they
    intend to perform

    Note, no direct link between attitude and


    behaviour
    Model assumes that to predict behaviour, need
    access to intention, not attitude.

    Theory of Reasoned Action


    Behavioural
    beliefs
    Outcome
    evaluations

    (Fishbein & Azjen, 1975)


    Attitude
    towards the
    behaviour

    Relative
    importance of
    attitudinal and
    normative factors

    Normative
    beliefs
    Motivations
    to comply

    Subjective
    norm

    Intention

    Behaviour

    Criticisms of Fishbein & Ajzens


    model (Bentler & Speckart, 1979)
    Structural equational modelling techniques
    demonstrated that both attitude and past
    behaviour contribute strongly to future
    behaviour (when measured 2 weeks later)
    Behavioural intent mediates predictive capacity
    of subjective norms on future behaviour
    Conclusion that factors other than intentions also are
    predictive of behavioural intent
    Limits value of Fishbein & Ajzens model
    suggests incomplete

    Limitations of the Theory of


    Reasoned Action
    Assumes rational evaluation of
    consequence
    People also act:
    on their emotion without any thought of consequence
    irrationally
    according to own morals rather than social norm

    Based on individualist assumptions


    Ignores individual differences in the need to
    evaluate

    Attitudes dont always predict


    behaviour
    Intention vs behaviour
    Factors to consider
    Past behaviour
    Personal experience
    Situational influences
    Social pressure / subjective norms
    Intensity of normative belief
    Motivation to comply

    Theory of planned behaviour


    (Ajzen & Madden, 1986)

    Theory of Reasoned Action developed in relation


    to volitional behaviour
    Not all behaviour is volitional
    Deeply ingrained habits
    Lack of resources
    External obstacles

    Introduction of additional factor of


    PERCIEVED CONTROL to the earlier Theory of
    Reasoned Action

    Theory of planned behaviour (2)

    Perceived control
    Additional set of beliefs relating to
    control
    Presence or absence of resources and
    opportunities
    As not all behaviour is under voluntary control

    Greater perception of control with


    increased perception of resources or
    opportunities
    Fewer obstacles or impediments

    Theory of planned behaviour


    (Azjen & Madden, 1986)
    Attitude to
    behaviour
    Subjective
    norm

    Perceived
    behavioural
    control

    Behavioural
    intention

    Behaviour

    Perceived behavioural control


    (Ajzen & Madden, 1986)

    Factors other than intention may mediate


    control
    Internal factors:
    Perception of skills, abilities, knowledge and
    planning

    External factors:
    Perception of time, opportunity, other people

    Theory of Planned Behaviour:

    Prerequisites for behavioural intention


    behaviour relationship
    The measure of intention must match the
    specificity of the behaviour
    i.e. to be able to predict attendance of Social lectures must
    measure intention to attend Social lectures, rather than just
    lectures more generally

    Time
    The measure of intention should be as close as possible to
    measure of behaviour to avoid change of intention

    Volitional control
    The behaviour should be perceived to be performable and
    not reliant upon external variables

    Conclusions
    Attitudes do not predict single behaviours
    Attitudes are related to multiple behaviours
    (behavioural patterns)
    Attitudes influence behaviour through
    influencing intention
    Intention is the better predictor of behaviour
    In order to understand intentions and
    behaviours, need to know about beliefs and
    attitudes
    This is essential in relation to attitude change

    You might also like