Behavior

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Behavior Attitudes

• Which came first?

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Attitude Survey
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Attitude Survey

• Rate how strongly you agree with the following
  items.
• 1. Engaging in regular physical exercise three
  times a week promotes good health.

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2.

• Eating a variety of foods each day, including 3
  or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables,
  contributes to wellness.

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3.

• It is essential that all citizens exercise their
  right to vote if government is to effectively
  reflect the will of the people.

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4

• Homelessness is a serious social problem that
  needs attention.

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Behavioral Survey
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1

• I take time to engage in regular physical
  exercise at least 3 times a week.

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2

• I regularly eat at least 5 servings of fresh
  fruits and vegetables each day.

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3

• I voted in the last election for which I was
  eligible to vote.

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4

• Within the last year, I have personally done
  something to address the problem of homelessness
  (e.g. made a charitable contribution, helped at
  shelter, written a letter to congress, etc.)

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Attitudes do not predict behavior

• What behavior? Virtually any behavior
• Racial attitudes, attitudes toward attending
  church, cheating on tests, etc.

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Changing your attitude

• Doesnt really matter
• Change your behavior and your attitude will follow

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Prison film revisited

• Roles are also important in influencing behavior
• Guards did not initially have a bad attitude

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Evil Acts

• When you behave badly toward someone, come to
  believe they deserved it
• Prison film why didnt you stop me?

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Saying is believing

• People induced to say things they dont
  believe...become more inclined to believe that
  belief
• P.C. works

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What about personality?

• Nice try
• Personality traits are also ineffective in
  predicting beh from attitudes

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Can we legislate morality?
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YES!

• Our attitudes toward things closely follow what
  is legal
• Thus, people didnt want integration
• It became the law
• People favoring integration went from 65 to 87

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Think slide

• Define a dangerous drug
• Are dangerous drugs Illegal? Are any legal drugs
  dangerous?

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It also explains why we are

• very concerned about a drug that
• Kills about 18 people a year and is ILLEGAL
• are unconcerned about one that kills 400,000 a
  year yet remains LEGAL

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Why do Attitudes follow Beh?

• 1. Self presentation theory
• We adjust our presentation of self in order to
  please people, not offend them.

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2. Self-justification

• We adjust our thinking to match our actions.
• Cognitive dissonance

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Cognitive Dissonance

• Leon Festinger we feel tension (dissonance) when
  2 thoughts are psychologically inconsistent
• E.g. we know that smoking may kill us, we dont
  want to die

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3. Self Perception

• We may look at our own behavior to infer our
  attitudes.

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3 Components of Attitudes

• ABC of Attitudes
• 1. Affect (feelings)
• 2. Behavior (intentions)
• 3. Cognition (thoughts)

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3 Predictors

• Attitude may predict behavior in very specific
  circumstances.
• 1. When we minimize external influences on our
  words and actions.

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2

• When the attitude is specific to the observed
  behavior.

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Hypothetical

• If you want to know why green cars are or arent
  selling
• Dont ask about ecological values
• Ask specific questions about cars values

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Manuel style test question

• If I asked a question about attitudes Beh, I
  might ask which question would get the best
  response

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3

• When the attitude is potent and we are conscious
  of our attitudes.

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Principle of Aggregation

• The effects of an attitude on behavior become
  more apparent when we look at a persons
  aggregate behavior rather than isolated acts.

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The Foot-in-the-Door

• Seduction, in other words

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Principle

• If you want someone to do a big favor for you,
  ask a small one first

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Later in the course

• We will see how cults go one step at a time
• How Milgram participants went slowly up the shock
  board
• How world leaders get us involved in war

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Hitler and Foot-in-the-door

• Passed anti-Jewish legislation a bit at a time
• Not all Jews forbidden status occupations at once
  (e.g. first veterinarians, then X, etc.

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Low-ball techniques

• You agree to buy something because of its great
  price
• And find out little is included
• You buy it anyway