Attitudes & Behavior

November 9, 2006

Do Attitudes Determine Behavior? An underlying assumption in persuasion

research is: Shift a person’s attitude in the right direction and behavior will follow.

Examples:1. If people see the value of wearing their

seatbelt then they are more likely to actually wear it.

2. If people think that smoking is bad for their health then they will quit.

Basic Questions Is there a relationship between attitudes

and behavior and, if so, how strong is it?

When might such a relationship exist? How do attitudes influence behavior?

In other words, what is the psychological process?

Do Attitudes Predict Behavior? Yes, but not strongly. Classic Study of Cheating

Relationship between attitudes toward cheating and actual cheating behavior.

Students took True-False exam then asked to assign themselves a score.

Instructor also graded the exam. Discrepancy between student’s self-assigned score and

instructor’s score was measure of cheating behavior. Relationship between attitude toward cheating and

actually cheating close to zero. Those who did poorly more likely to cheat. Meta-analysis of attitude studies showed less than .

30 correlation between attitudes and behavior.

When do attitudes predict behavior? Are there factors that make attitudes more or

less predictive of behavior? 4 Factors that Impact the Relationship: Qualities of the…

Behavior (General vs. specific) Person (Who is being asked) Situation (When and how are they being asked?) Attitude (How was the attitude formed?)

Attitude-Behavior Survey

1. Students should read2. Homelessness is a problem3. I should exercise4. I should recycle5. I should designate a driver6. I should vote7. Should change strategy to

fight terrorism0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Yes, Important Yes, I acted

Attitude Change

Behavior Being Predicted Attitudes and behaviors must be

measured at the same level of specificity.

Example: A person’s attitude toward their general health will not predict their propensity to jog.

Specific attitudes will predict specific behaviors.

Person You Ask Certain peoples’ attitudes are more

consistent with their behaviors than others. Example: High Self Monitors

A high self monitor changes their behavior depending on the situation. A low self monitor behaves the same way across situations.

Are you a high self monitor? The behavior of low self monitors is consistent

with their expressed attitudes.

Situation in Which You Ask Them

Whether attitudes predict behavior may depend on the context in which you ask the question.

Norms can be so strong that it is unlikely that overt behavior will reflect private attitudes. Example: People who hate their jobs will still go to work

because of normative and financial incentives. Attitudes toward work predict attendance when

obligation to attend is removed. Question: How many people would show up if I made

one class “optional”?

Additional Situational Factors Attitudes are more predictive of

behavior when: People have a vested interest in the issue. When people are under time pressure. When situational cues make your attitude

salient (a focus of attention). Situations can be changed to make

attitudes more predictive.

Job Satisfaction and Performance Studies have shown consistently that happy

workers are not necessarily more productive. Why do think this is the case? How can job attitudes become more

predictive of behavior at work? Recent study shows that happy workers don’t

make firms more successful, but successful firms make their employees happier.

How do Attitudes Actually Predict Behavior? Two theoretical models that explain why

attitudes predict behavior. Theory of Reasoned Action:

Theory relevant when the behavior is thoughtfully planned in advance.

Attitude-To-Behavior Process Model Theory relevant when behavior is a spontaneous

reaction to one’s immediate situation.

Planned Behavior

Decision to Protest Parking Lot Attitude Formation:

Saving trees is important to me. Environmental protests are effective.

Social Pressure: My friends are going to protest and they

might not talk to me if I don’t. Result: I intend to protest and my

intention will result in action.

Decision to Stay Home Attitude Formation:

Protests never work and there are enough trees in Ithaca anyway.

Social Pressure: My friends think protesting is stupid and

they will think I am weird if I go. Result:

I intend to stay home.

Spontaneous Behavior Sometimes people’s attitudes will result

in a spontaneous (unplanned) behavior. Example: If you hate cockroaches then

you don’t have to think about what to do when you see one.

Reason: Some attitudes are more accessible (memorable) than others.

Attitude Accessibility Attitudes guide our interpretation of an

object or a situation. If the attitude is memorable than it will

have an immediate impact on our behavior.

If the attitude is not memorable than it will impact our behavior only when recalled.

Attitude Change Through Priming

Title: ILR (Development/Recovery) Exercise

Instructions:

“A recent external audit revealed that ILR has been (improving/declining) as an institution over the last decade. However, the audit was vague as to why this (improvement/decline) might be occurring. As a group, please list all of the ways that the administration can (keep/get) ILR moving in the right direction. In other words, list all of the things you (l ike/disl ike) about ILR.”

Satisfaction with ILR Student who were randomly assigned to think

about things they didn’t like about ILR were also less satisfied:

With the academic resources at ILR (p < .05)

That they are receiving a high quality education at ILR (p < .10)

With the variety of courses offered at ILR (p < .05

That ILR has helped them prepare for career after college(p < .10)

Self Serving Bias On average, people believe that they

are above average. People take credit for their success but

attribute failure to external/situational factors.

Egocentric bias in groups such that each person believes they contributed more than any other person.

Satisfaction with Yourself

More Negative

Even

More Positive

On average you listed 6.5 strong statements vs. 4.9 weak statements, t (45) = 4.37, p < .01

In Sum In general, the relationship between

attitude and behavior is weak. However, it is possible to strengthen

this link. Combine attitude with social pressure. Make attitude memorable.