developing positive attitudes: a practical attitude development process materials available at:

Developing Positive Attitudes:A Practical Attitude Development Process

Materials Available at: http://ronwilliamson.com/Oregon_GEAR_UP.html

Panelists

Howard JohnstonUniversity of South Florida

Ron WilliamsonEastern Michigan University

Presentation Outline

The Attitude Challenge

Attitude Formation & Change Strategies

Discussion

The Attitude Challenge

Student, parent and community attitudes may not support post-secondary education.

Staff may hold (and convey) negative attitudes about chances for student success in post-secondary education.

Everyone may harbor unproductive/unrealistic beliefs: “I’ll just go to work in the [mill, woods, cannery, etc.] like the rest of my family.”

Attitudes are Keys to ChangeWe believe in the power of positive

attitudes.

• “He’s got a bad attitude.”• “She’s got the right attitude.”• “Positive and negative attitudes are

directions. Which do you choose?”• “The only disability in life is a bad

attitude.”• “Our attitude toward life determines

life's attitude towards us.”

An attitude is a predisposition to approach or avoid and idea, event, person or object.

It is an tendency to act in one way or another toward and “attitude object.”

They can be specific (The NY Knicks) or general (Pro Basketball…or even “sports.”)

What are Attitudes?

They are learned

What is learned can be unlearned

There are systematic ways to change attitudes

Most people don’t hold very strong attitudes about most things

Don’t waste your time “fertilizing the rocks;” focus on what you can change

The Good NewsThey may appear inflexible, but

• We copy those of people who are important to us.

• We try out an attitude and are rewarded or punished for it.

• We get talked into it by a persuasive argument.

Usually, it’s a combination of these.

Where Do Attitudes Come From?

• Cognitive Approaches – changing the way people think about the attitude object.

• Persuasive communication• Cognitive dissonance

• Behavioral Approaches – rewards and reinforcements.

• Reward desirable attitudes• Ignore undesirable attitudes

• Social Approaches -- copy the beliefs of those we admire.

• Modeling• Consensus• Peer group management

How Can You Change Attitudes?

Persuasive Communication•An engaging, energizing story of how a school staff member helped a student prepare for and succeed in college. •Testimonials of former students.

Cognitive Dissonance•Point out contradictory beliefs or differences between beliefs and actions.•How did you get here?

Cognitive Approaches

Behavioral Approaches

Rewards and Reinforcements•Reward desirable attitudes•Encourage action based on positive attitudes•“Win Early, Win Often” and Celebrate Successes

Punishments•Rarely work to change attitudes•Ignore inappropriate attitudes•Deprive chronic dissenters of audience

Social Approaches

Modeling•Showcase respected, high status models•Models must be attractive to the group

Consensus•Agree on broad statements •Everyone must participate – perhaps virtually•Safeguard against bullying

Structure/Re-structure Peer Groups•Create supportive groups •Support and sustain positive group actions

A Sample Attitude Change Plan

Attitude Goal: Staff affirms that their students can prepare for, be admitted to, and succeed in post-secondary education.

Social Cognitive Behavioral

Testimonials from former students about how school helped them prepare and succeed.

Testimonials by respected colleagues about how they have helped students prepare for post-secondary success.

“Study Teams” or “Intervention Teams” prepare school-wide campaign – colleague to colleague.

Enlist other groups: churches, businesses, etc.

Persuasive communication about changing local job market and opportunities for kids.

Link post-secondary education to success of entire region.

Provide clear information about opportunities, costs, benefits of post-secondary education.

Ask “how did you start out?” Find models from faculty.

Celebrate successes of individual teachers – e.g., “turn around kids.”

Use resources for training and professional development on promoting post-sec educ.

Reward staff who are “on board.”

Minimize influence of negative forces and personalities.

Discussion

What are attitudes in your school or community you’d like to change?

What strategies we talked about today might be helpful?

What are the impediments to changing those attitudes?

For More Information

Download a complete Attitude Change Handbook and sample plans:

http://tinyurl.com/3b455b7

For a copy of the handout and PPT: http://ronwilliamson.com/Oregon_GEAR_UP.html

Contact us:

Howard at: Johnston@usf.edu

Ron at : rwmson214@aol.com