Understanding Attitudes: Definition, Structure, and Functions

Definitions of Attitude

An internal predisposition to think, feel, and act towards an object, which is learned and relatively stable. It serves as a mediator between an object and a series of responses from the subject.

Refers to the structure of long-term memory, based on the internalization of scripts (schemas) that encompass a set of beliefs, feelings, and potential behaviors relevant to given situations.

A lasting organization of beliefs and cognitions in general, endowed with an emotional charge for or against a definite object, which predisposes an individual to act consistently with the cognitions and emotions related to that object.

Attitude Structure and Components

The complexity of an attitude implies that it incorporates the following components:

Attitude Components Explained

• Cognitive Component: Beliefs and opinions about the subject matter.
• Affective (Evaluative) Component: Emotions and feelings directed toward the object.
• Behavioral (Conative) Component: Behavior or intended behavior towards the object, depending on the situation.

Important Structural Considerations

Regarding attitude structure, it is important to note:

• The content of each component.
• Relationships within and between components (e.g., consistency vs. dissonance, level of importance, centrality).
• Analyzing an attitude can reveal insights about the subject, their related ideology, and group affiliations (Subject ↔ Group relationship).
• Attitudes are directed towards specific objects at different levels of abstraction (e.g., general attitude towards youth sexuality vs. specific attitude towards condom use).
• While truly neutral attitudes are difficult to conceive, we can speak of objects being irrelevant to an individual.

Key Characteristics of Attitudes

• They are internal yet social phenomena (not purely individual).
• They always operate in relation to an object.
• They are formed through direct experience or learning.
• They can change but tend to be relatively stable over time.
• They provide coherence to behavior.
• They function as cognitive maps: stable frameworks for understanding reality, guides for action, and mechanisms for justification.
• They form part of the structure that justifies an ideology.

Functions Served by Attitudes

• Knowledge: Simplify experience and the processing of information.
• Adaptive (Utilitarian): Help individuals achieve goals, avoid punishments, and foster belonging and identification with groups.
• Value-Expressive: Allow individuals to express core values and beliefs, facilitating inference about their ideological positions.
• Ego-Defensive: Protect the individual from acknowledging truths that could threaten their self-concept or worldview (e.g., prejudicial attitudes protecting self-esteem).

Social Cognition: Eiser's Principles

Eiser outlined basic principles of the cognitive approach to social perception:

• Individuals are active processors of information; the effect of a stimulus depends heavily on how it is categorized and interpreted by the recipient.
• The interpretation of a stimulus depends on its inherent characteristics as well as the perceiver's pre-existing expectations and schemas.
• The organizational role of cognition provides a guide for action and a basis for prediction, allowing for effective and purposeful behavior.
• This perspective views humans metaphorically as Homo cyberneticus: active information processors engaging in input, processing, output, and feedback loops.