The Psychology of Political Attitudes

1
The Psychology of (Political) Attitudes

• Define attitudes
• Attitude components
• How attitudes are formed

2
Attitudinal Statements

• The sight of the American flag fills me with
  pride.
• The Presidents policy toward the conflict in
  Iraq is wrong.
• I support abortion rights.
• I favor reduced government regulation.
• I have always voted for Republican candidates.
• The military government of Cuba is undemocratic.
  
• I feel strongly that capital punishment is wrong.
• I am angry about the current welfare system.
• I believe that NAFTA will destroy jobs and harm
  the environment.

3
Psychology of Attitudes

• Define attitudes
• Attitudes are an evaluative state toward a
  definite object that are formed from, and
  expressed through, affect (emotion), behavior,
  and cognition (beliefs).
• Attitude objects
• Concrete vs. abstract
• Moods are not attitudes
• Attitude components sources of attitudes and
  expressions of attitudes
• Affect
• Behavior
• Cognition

4
Defining attitudes

• Evaluation of an object
• Attitude components
• Affect (emotions)
• Behavior
• Cognition (beliefs)

5
The Arguments

• CLARETT'S SIDE
• The NFL is preventing him from entering the
  league until three years have passed since his
  high-school graduation, a restraint on trade and
  commerce in violation of the Sherman Act.
• THE NFL'S SIDE
• The NFL is a government-approved monopoly.
  Because the three-year waiting period is part of
  league bylaws, it is part of a labor agreement
  and exempt from antitrust challenges.

6
How are attitudes formed from their elements?

• The effect of cognitions on attitudes
• Ajzens Theory of Planned Behavior
• Andersons Cognitive Algebra
• The effect of affect (emotions) on attitudes
• Wilsons introspection research
• Searss Symbolic Politics theory
• The effect of behavior on attitudes
• Festingers cognitive dissonance experiments

7
Beliefs and Attitudes
8
Cognitive Dissonance

• Festinger Carlsmiths original insufficient
  justification paradigm