Attitude“It’s always best to start at the

beginning.”Dorothy

The Wizard of Oz

What is Attitude?Earliest uses date back to early theater

Describes a characters posture or position

Attitude=Stable set of beliefs, feelings and tendencies toward something/someone

Can be positive or negativeAttitude toward self=self esteemNegative attitude toward group=prejudice

Our attitudes are associated with our values (weighted by its importance)

Where do our attitudes come from?

Do our attitudes guide our behavior?1934 Richard LaPiere Study

3-month x/c tripWith young Chinese couple

66 Hotels184 Restaurants

Is it the other way around-Does behavior shape attitude?

oSelf –Perception Theory (Daryl Bem) says we infer our attitudes by observing our own behavior

oIsn’t this attribution? (understanding the CAUSE of behavior)

What happens when our beliefs and our behavior contradict each other?

Cognitive dissonance=

Anxiety Distress

ConfusionDiscomfort

How attitudes change…. Cognitive Dissonance

Persuasion

What is persuasion?

Persuasion=Influencing attitude by communicationFred TuttleAge 79Poor health (3 heart

attacks, cataracts, arthritis, diabetes & prostrate cancer)

Retired farmerRan in the 1998 Vermont

Republican primary for U.S. Senate

Spent $200 on campaignOpponent spent $475,ooo

Why did Fred win?Likability (you may say grandpa connection)

Vermont rootsKnowledge (Calais vs. Cah-lay)Convinced Vermont voters that money could not buy an election

Persuasion

How did Fred win?The message (2-sides?)Source (Expert-Trustworthy-likeable-

attractive)Channel (How the message is presented-

personal contact-film vs. print vs. in-person)Boomerang Effect (when message is too

negative/emotional)Sleeper Effect (We forget source but not

message- can lead to less credible source with strong effect)

Repeated message (Mere Exposure Effect)

Think Coffee…….

Message…..

How to persuade people to donate?Door-In-The-Face technique

StarbucksOperation

CaffeinationAfter refusing a major request- we are more likely to

comply with a minor request

Foot-In-The-Door techniqueAfter complying with a small request- you are more likely to agree to a large request

Vivid messages can be persuasive or can undermine persuasion

Persuasion is also used for social change…The Good doll and

the bad dollInfluenced the US

Supreme Court in the 1954 case of Brown vs. The Board of Education

Abraham Lincoln“ It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”

Joseph E. Levine (Film Producer)“ You can fool all the people all the time if the advertising is right and the budget is big enough.”

What about forced attitude change?

Brainwashing

Brainwashing needs a captive audience and control over the environmentIsolationTarget made to feel

dependentIndoctrinating agent

has power to reward or punish

Cults= Strength of leader

Jim Jones- Jonestown