Describe an attitude you currently
have that was formed through behavioral influences
The Role of Behavioral Factors on
Attitudes/Actions and experiences, as well as the observations of others’
behaviors, can shape the attitudes you hold toward objects, issues, things, or
people. One theory that attempts to explain behavioral influences on attitude
formation is self-perception theory (Bem, 1972). According to this theory, in
situations when an attitude is weak or ambiguous, you may infer your attitude
from observing your own behaviors; that is, you rely on cues from your external
environment to infer your own attitude, much like an outside observer would.
You also may form attitudes through observations of and interactions with
others as explained by observational learning and operant conditioning.
Consider how behavioral processes such as operant conditioning, observational
learning, and self-perception might influence the attitudes you hold. Reflect
on how culture and the social environment might influence how these attitudes
are formed. Please remember to be respectful of colleagues when posting.
Describe an attitude you currently
have that was formed through behavioral influences.
Explain how the attitude was
formed.
Describe any cultural or
environmental factors that may have influenced the formation of the attitude.
Support your response with
references to the following resources and other scholarly literature.
References:
Bem, D. (1972). Self-perception
theory. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol.
6, pp. 1-62). New York, NY: Academic Press.
Banaji, M. R., & Heiphetz, L.
(2010). Attitudes. In S. T. Fiske, D. T. Gilbert, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Handbook
of social psychology (5th ed., Vol. 1, pp. 370-376). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
& Sons.
Handbook of Social Psychology, 5th
Edition by S. T. Fiske, D. T. Gilbert, & G. Lindzey (Eds.). Copyright 2010
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. – Books. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley
& Sons, Inc. – Books via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Bem, D. (1972). Self-perception
theory. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol.
6, pp. 1-62). New York, NY: Academic Press.
Self-perception theory by Bem, D.,
in Advances in experimental social psychology, Vol. 6. Copyright 1972 by
Elsevier Science & Technology Books. Reprinted by permission of Elsevier
Science & Technology Books via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Chaiken, S., & Baldwin, M. W. (1981).
Affective-cognitive consistency and the effect of salient behavioral
information on the self-perception of attitudes. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 41(1), 1-12.
Insko, C. A. (1965). Verbal
reinforcement of attitudes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2(4),
621-623.
Insko, C. A., & Cialdini, R.
B. (1969). A test of three interpretations of attitudinal verbal reinforcement.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 12(4), 333-341.
Rogoff, B., Paradise, R., Arauz,
R. M., Correa-Chavez, M., & Angelillo, C. (2003). Firsthand learning
through intent participation. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 175-203.
Rowe, D. C., Chassin, L., Presson,
C., & Sherman, S. J. (1996). Parental smoking and the “epidemic”
spread of cigarette smoking. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 26(5),
437-454.
