Attitudes, Beliefs, and Attitude Formation (8B) - Psych & Soc

Which condition most strongly increases cognitive dissonance after a counterattitudinal act?

Low external justification (insufficient reward or pressure). Without strong justification, people must resolve the inconsistency internally.
Which attitude change is predicted when dissonance is high and justification is low?

Greater attitude change to reduce dissonance. Without external justification, we change attitudes to reduce discomfort.
What is the door-in-the-face technique for attitude or behavior change?

Large request first, then a smaller request to increase compliance. Rejection of large request makes smaller request seem reasonable.
What is the peripheral route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Attitude change via superficial cues (e.g., attractiveness, credibility, emotion). Uses shortcuts when motivation or ability to process is low.
What is the mere exposure effect on attitudes?

Repeated exposure increases liking, even without conscious awareness. Familiarity breeds preference through unconscious processing.
Identify when self-perception theory is most likely: strong attitudes or weak/ambiguous attitudes?

Weak or ambiguous attitudes. Works best when internal cues are unclear or absent.
What does the door-in-the-face technique attempt to increase?

Compliance by starting with a large request then retreating to a smaller one. Reciprocity norm makes smaller request seem reasonable after rejection.
What does the ABC model of attitudes stand for?

Affect, Behavior, Cognition. The three components that comprise any attitude.
What is the ABC model of attitudes?

Affect, Behavior, Cognition. Mnemonic for the three components of attitudes.
Which attitude change reduces dissonance after freely choosing to act against beliefs?

Attitude change to align beliefs with the chosen behavior. Reduces dissonance by justifying the chosen action.
What is the difference between classical and operant conditioning in attitude formation?

Classical: association with stimuli; operant: reinforcement or punishment shapes responses. Classical pairs stimuli; operant uses consequences to modify attitudes.
Which concept explains why attitudes often poorly predict behavior across situations?

Attitude-behavior inconsistency (role of situational factors). Situations often override attitudes in determining actual behavior.
Identify the persuasion factor: credibility, attractiveness, or similarity of the communicator.

Source characteristics. Who delivers the message affects persuasion effectiveness.
What is the definition of the peripheral route outcome regarding attitude durability?

Less stable, more susceptible to change, and weaker behavior prediction. Superficial processing yields attitudes vulnerable to change because they lack elaborated cognitive support.
What is the counterattitudinal behavior paradigm used to study cognitive dissonance?

Inducing a person to act against an attitude and observing attitude change. Forces behavior contrary to attitudes to study resulting changes.
What is the difference between explicit attitudes and implicit attitudes?

Explicit = conscious and reportable; implicit = automatic and unconscious. Explicit are deliberate; implicit operate outside awareness.
Identify the concept: a person changes beliefs to justify an initiated effort or unpleasant task.

Effort justification (a form of cognitive dissonance reduction). People value outcomes more when they work hard for them.
What is the peripheral route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Attitude change via cues (e.g., attractiveness, authority) not content. Uses shortcuts like source credibility when motivation/ability is low.
Which option best predicts stronger attitude-behavior consistency: high or low self-monitoring?

Low self-monitoring. Low self-monitors act consistently with internal attitudes across situations.
What is the difference between an explicit attitude and an implicit attitude?

Explicit is conscious and reportable; implicit is automatic and unconscious. Explicit attitudes are deliberately formed and accessible, while implicit ones operate below awareness, affecting judgments automatically.
What is the central route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Attitude change via careful, effortful processing of message arguments. Requires motivation and ability to analyze message content.
Which ELM route is most likely when the audience is distracted or uninterested in the topic?

Peripheral route. Low elaboration relies on superficial cues for persuasion.
What is the sleeper effect in persuasion?

A message becomes more persuasive over time as source discounting fades. We forget the source but remember the message content.
Which option best reduces cognitive dissonance: change attitude, change behavior, or add cognitions?

Any of the three can reduce dissonance (change attitude, behavior, or cognitions). Dissonance reduction can occur through altering any component to achieve consonance, as per Festinger's theory.
What is the difference between an attitude and a value?

Attitude = specific evaluation; value = broad, enduring guiding principle. Values are abstract ideals; attitudes target specific objects.
What is the definition of the central route outcome regarding attitude durability?

More stable, resistant, and predictive of behavior. Attitudes formed via deep processing endure due to stronger cognitive integration and resistance to counterarguments.
In ELM, what characterizes the central route to persuasion?

High elaboration; attitude change based on strong arguments and evidence. Requires motivation and ability to process message content.
What is an attitude in social psychology (include its core evaluative property)?

An evaluation (positive or negative) of a person, object, or idea. Attitudes involve judging something as good/bad, favorable/unfavorable.
What is a belief, and how does it differ from an attitude?

Belief: cognitive statement held true; attitude: overall evaluation. Beliefs are specific cognitions; attitudes are broader evaluative judgments.
What does the Implicit Association Test (IAT) measure most directly?

Strength of automatic associations underlying implicit attitudes. IAT measures reaction time differences to reveal unconscious biases.
Which option best describes the attitude-behavior link: when do attitudes best predict behavior?

When attitudes are strong, specific, accessible, and the situation has low pressure. These conditions minimize the attitude-behavior gap.
What is the foot-in-the-door technique in attitude and behavior change?

Small initial request increases compliance with a larger later request. Commitment to small request creates consistency pressure for larger ones.
What is the difference between an attitude and a belief?

Attitude is evaluative; belief is an accepted proposition about reality. Attitudes involve judgment; beliefs are factual assumptions.
What is the definition of a belief (as contrasted with an attitude)?

A cognitive acceptance that a statement about the world is true. Beliefs are cognitive only, while attitudes include emotional components.
What is a belief (as contrasted with an attitude)?

A cognitive proposition accepted as true about the world. Beliefs are thoughts we hold as true, while attitudes include emotions.
What is the key distinction between cognitive dissonance and self-perception theories?

Dissonance involves discomfort; self-perception involves inference without distress. Dissonance requires arousal; self-perception occurs without emotional tension.
What is cognitive dissonance, in one sentence?

Psychological discomfort from holding inconsistent cognitions or behaviors. Dissonance motivates people to restore consistency between thoughts/actions.
What is the foot-in-the-door technique in attitude change?

Small initial request increases compliance with a larger later request. Builds on consistency principle and commitment escalation.
What is the definition of an opinion in the context of attitudes and beliefs?

A judgment about a specific issue, often derived from attitudes. Opinions represent specific applications of broader attitudes, guiding judgments on particular matters based on underlying evaluations.
What is the self-perception theory explanation for attitude formation?

People infer attitudes by observing their own behavior and context. Bem's theory: we deduce our attitudes from our actions like outside observers.
What is an attitude in social psychology (MCAT definition)?

An evaluation of a person, object, or idea (positive, negative, or neutral). Encompasses emotional, behavioral, and cognitive responses to stimuli.
What is the door-in-the-face technique in persuasion and compliance?

Large request refused, then smaller request appears reasonable. Contrast effect makes second request seem more acceptable.
What is the foot-in-the-door technique in compliance?

Small initial request increases likelihood of agreeing to a larger request. This technique leverages self-consistency, where initial compliance builds a self-image that facilitates agreement to subsequent larger requests.
What does the Implicit Association Test (IAT) measure about attitudes?

Implicit associations inferred from reaction time differences. Faster pairing reveals stronger automatic associations.
Identify the term: changing behavior to match attitudes after feeling dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance reduction. We align behavior with attitudes to reduce psychological discomfort.
What is an attitude in social psychology (include its core components)?

An evaluation with affective, behavioral, and cognitive components. Attitudes encompass how we feel, act, and think about something.
What is the central route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Attitude change via careful, effortful processing of message content. Requires motivation and ability to analyze argument quality.
What is classical conditioning in attitude formation, stated in one sentence?

Pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus creates a learned attitude. Attitudes form through association with emotional responses.
Which ELM route is more likely when motivation and ability to process are high?

Central route. High elaboration likelihood activates systematic processing.
What is the central route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Attitude change via careful, effortful processing of argument quality. Requires motivation and ability to process message content.
Identify the term: a stable, internal tendency to act in a particular way across situations.

Trait. Personality traits are enduring behavioral patterns across contexts.
What are the three components of attitude in the ABC model?

Affect, Behavior, Cognition. ABC stands for the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive aspects.
Which theory states that people infer attitudes by observing their own behavior?

Self-perception theory. We look at our actions to understand our internal states.
What is the definition of the Yale attitude change approach (Hovland model)?

Persuasion depends on source, message, channel, and audience characteristics. Classic model identifying four key factors in persuasion.
What is the self-serving bias in explanations of outcomes?

Success to internal causes; failure to external causes. Protects self-esteem through biased attributions.
What are the two routes in the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)?

Central route and peripheral route. The ELM distinguishes between thoughtful processing of arguments and reliance on heuristics, depending on motivation and ability.
What is the theory of planned behavior (TPB) key predictor of behavior?

Behavioral intention (from attitudes, norms, perceived control). Intentions mediate between attitudes and actual behavior.
What is the peripheral route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Attitude change via superficial cues (source, attractiveness, emotion). Uses heuristics when motivation or ability is low.
What is the lowball technique, and what is its key feature?

Agree to a deal, then costs increase; commitment promotes compliance. Initial commitment persists even when terms worsen.
What is the door-in-the-face technique?

Compliance increases after refusing a large request then receiving a smaller one. Reciprocity norm makes smaller request seem reasonable by comparison.
In ELM, what characterizes the peripheral route to persuasion?

Low elaboration; attitude change based on cues (e.g., attractiveness, status). Uses shortcuts when motivation or ability is low.
What is cognitive dissonance in the context of attitude change?

Psychological discomfort from holding inconsistent cognitions or actions. Occurs when beliefs/behaviors conflict, creating tension.
What is the self-perception theory explanation for attitude formation or change?

People infer attitudes by observing their own behavior and context. "If I did it, I must have liked it" - behavior shapes attitudes.
What is an attitude in social psychology, including its basic evaluative direction?

A learned evaluation of an object, person, or idea (positive or negative). Attitudes involve evaluative judgments that can be favorable or unfavorable.
What is the fundamental attribution error that can maintain negative attitudes?

Overattributing others' behavior to dispositions over situations. Blaming personality rather than context reinforces stereotypes.
What is the lowball technique in compliance?

Secure agreement, then raise the cost; commitment increases compliance. Exploits commitment consistency after initial agreement.
What is the definition of self-perception theory?

People infer attitudes by observing their own behavior and its context. We look at our actions to understand our own attitudes.
What is cognitive dissonance in the context of attitudes and behavior?

Psychological discomfort from inconsistent beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. Dissonance arises when cognitions clash, creating tension.
Which option best reduces dissonance after a counterattitudinal action: change attitude, change behavior, or add consonant cognition?

Any of the three can reduce dissonance. All three strategies effectively resolve inconsistency.
What is the definition of a value in the context of attitudes and beliefs?

A stable guiding principle that influences attitudes and behavior. Values are broader than attitudes and shape multiple attitudes.
What is the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) central route to persuasion?

Persuasion via careful, effortful processing of argument quality. Central route requires motivation and ability to analyze message content.
What is the Yale attitude change approach (Hovland model) focused on?

Source, message, and audience factors that influence persuasion. Classic model examining who says what to whom with what effect.
Identify the concept: automatic attitudes that can operate outside awareness.

Implicit attitudes. Measured indirectly through reaction times or associations.
What is a value in the context of attitudes and beliefs?

A stable, enduring principle that guides judgments and behavior. Values serve as fundamental standards for decision-making and actions.
What is the theory of planned behavior's key predictor of behavior beyond attitude?

Behavioral intention (shaped by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control). Integrates attitude with social pressure and perceived behavioral control.
Which route in ELM tends to produce more durable attitude change?

Central route. Deep processing creates stronger, lasting attitude change.
What is the definition of social learning (observational learning) in attitude formation?

Acquiring attitudes by observing others and the outcomes of their behavior. Vicarious learning shapes attitudes without direct experience.
What does the Implicit Association Test (IAT) primarily measure?

Relative strength of automatic associations between concepts and evaluations. Measures reaction time differences in pairing concepts with evaluations.
What does the affective component of an attitude specifically refer to?

Emotions or feelings toward the attitude object. Affect captures the emotional response to the object.
Identify the attitude change predicted when a person has low external justification for lying.

Attitude shifts to align with the lie (greater internalization). People reduce dissonance by changing attitudes to match behavior.
What is the door-in-the-face technique in attitude change?

Large request refused, then smaller request is accepted due to reciprocity. Creates obligation to reciprocate the concession.
What does the foot-in-the-door technique attempt to increase?

Compliance by starting with a small request before a larger one. Initial agreement creates consistency pressure for larger requests.
What is the definition of a belief in the context of attitudes?

A cognitive acceptance that a statement about the world is true. Beliefs form the cognitive foundation of attitudes by accepting propositions as factual, influencing how individuals perceive and interpret reality.
What is an attitude in social psychology (include its general object and evaluation)?

An evaluation (positive or negative) of a person, object, or idea. This definition captures the evaluative disposition in social psychology, encompassing affective, behavioral, and cognitive responses toward entities.
What is the theory of planned behavior (TPB) used to predict?

Behavioral intentions and behavior from attitudes, norms, and control. Integrates attitudes, social pressure, and perceived control.
What is the Yale attitude change model's main focus in persuasion?

Who says what to whom: source, message, audience factors. Examines how source, message, and audience interact in persuasion.
What is mere exposure effect?

Repeated exposure increases liking, even without conscious awareness. Familiarity breeds liking through unconscious processing.
What is the central route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Attitude change via thoughtful processing of strong arguments. Requires motivation and ability to process message content carefully.
In ELM, which route relies on superficial cues such as attractiveness or authority?

Peripheral route. Low elaboration prompts use of peripheral cues for quick judgments, resulting in temporary attitude shifts.
What is an attitude in social psychology (include its core components)?

Evaluation of an object with affective, behavioral, and cognitive components. Attitudes integrate how we feel, act, and think about something.
What is the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) peripheral route to persuasion?

Persuasion via superficial cues (e.g., attractiveness, authority). Peripheral route relies on heuristics when motivation/ability is low.
Which ELM route is most likely when motivation and ability to process the message are high?

Central route. High elaboration leads to systematic processing of arguments.
Which option best describes the sleeper effect in persuasion?

A message becomes more persuasive over time as the source is forgotten. Message content persists while source credibility fades from memory.
Identify the theory: behavior changes first, then attitudes shift to match the behavior.

Cognitive dissonance theory. Festinger's theory explains post-behavior attitude adjustment.
What is the peripheral route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Persuasion via cues like attractiveness or authority (low elaboration). Uses shortcuts when people can't or won't process deeply.
Identify the term: changing attitudes to match behavior to reduce dissonance.

Effortful dissonance reduction via attitude change. Alternative strategy when behavior change is difficult.
Which option best describes the theory of planned behavior?

Behavior is driven by intentions shaped by attitudes, norms, and control. Extends reasoned action by adding perceived behavioral control.
What is the mere exposure effect in attitude formation?

Repeated exposure increases liking, even without conscious awareness. Familiarity breeds liking through unconscious processing.
In ELM, which route relies on message content quality and careful thought?

Central route. High elaboration in this route involves scrutinizing argument strength, leading to durable attitude changes when persuaded.
Which route in ELM typically produces more durable and predictive attitudes?

Central route. Deep processing creates stronger, lasting attitude change.
What are the three components of an attitude in the ABC model?

Affect, Behavior, Cognition. ABC stands for the three dimensions that comprise attitudes.
What is the difference between an attitude and a value?

Value is a stable guiding principle; attitude is object-specific evaluation. Values are broad life principles; attitudes target specific objects.
What is an attitude in social psychology, in terms of evaluation of an object or idea?

An evaluation (positive or negative) of a person, object, or concept. Attitudes involve judging something as good/bad or favorable/unfavorable.
In cognitive dissonance, what is the counterintuitive effect of smaller external rewards on attitude change?

Smaller rewards often produce greater attitude change (less external justification). Minimal external incentives create greater internal justification needs, leading to stronger attitude shifts to resolve dissonance.
What is the self-perception theory of attitude formation?

People infer attitudes by observing their own behavior and context. Bem's theory posits that individuals deduce their internal states from self-observation, similar to how they infer others' attitudes.
What is the self-perception theory of attitude formation?

People infer attitudes by observing their own behavior and context. "If I did it, I must believe it" reasoning process.
What is the induced compliance paradigm in cognitive dissonance research?

People change attitudes after being led to act against beliefs with insufficient justification. Classic study: participants paid less rated boring task more favorably.
What is the door-in-the-face technique in compliance?

Large refused request followed by smaller request increases compliance. Reciprocity norms make the smaller request seem like a concession after refusal of the larger one, increasing compliance likelihood.
What is the key difference between self-perception theory and cognitive dissonance theory?

Self-perception: inference without discomfort; dissonance: inconsistency causes discomfort. Self-perception involves neutral inference from behavior, whereas dissonance entails aversive arousal from perceived inconsistencies.
What is the lowball technique in attitude change?

Gain commitment, then increase cost; commitment tends to persist. Exploits commitment consistency after initial agreement.
What is the difference between normative social influence and informational social influence?

Normative: fit in; informational: accept others as a source of reality. We conform to be liked vs. to understand reality correctly.
What is the difference between explicit and implicit attitudes?

Explicit: conscious and reportable; implicit: automatic and unconscious. Explicit attitudes are deliberate; implicit are measured indirectly.
What is the foot-in-the-door technique?

Compliance increases after agreeing to a small request before a larger one. Initial commitment creates consistency pressure for larger requests.
What is the definition of a value in social psychology?

A stable, enduring belief about what is important or desirable. Values serve as guiding principles in social psychology, shaping long-term priorities and moral frameworks that influence attitudes and behaviors.
What is the difference between an attitude and a belief?

Attitude = evaluation; belief = accepted proposition about what is true. Attitudes involve judgment; beliefs involve truth claims.
Identify the term: changing behavior to match attitudes to reduce dissonance.

Effortful dissonance reduction via behavior change. One strategy to restore cognitive consistency.
What does the insufficient justification effect predict about attitude change?

Smaller external rewards produce greater attitude change. Less justification forces internal attribution, changing attitudes.
What does the cognitive component of an attitude specifically refer to?

Thoughts and beliefs about the attitude object. Cognition involves mental representations and knowledge.
Identify the term: a tendency to seek and interpret information that confirms existing beliefs.

Confirmation bias. This bias maintains existing views by selectively attending to supportive evidence, reinforcing attitude stability.
What is the difference between an attitude and a value?

Attitude = evaluation of a target; value = enduring guiding principle. Values are broader life principles; attitudes target specific objects.
In TPB, what is perceived behavioral control?

Belief about one's ability and opportunity to perform a behavior. Reflects both capability and external constraints on action.
What is the foot-in-the-door technique for attitude or behavior change?

Small request first, then a larger request to increase compliance. Initial compliance makes people more likely to agree to bigger requests.
What is a belief (as distinct from an attitude)?

A cognitive acceptance that a statement about the world is true. Unlike attitudes, beliefs lack evaluative components.
What is the self-perception theory of attitude formation?

People infer attitudes by observing their own behavior and context. "If I did it, I must like it" - behavior shapes attitudes.
What is the definition of persuasion in social psychology?

A process of changing attitudes through communication. Persuasion involves strategic messaging to alter evaluations, drawing on cognitive and affective processes to influence attitudes.
What is the induced compliance paradigm in cognitive dissonance research?

Attitude change after freely performing a counterattitudinal behavior. In this paradigm, insufficient justification for counterattitudinal actions leads to dissonance, prompting attitude alignment with behavior.
What is the peripheral route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Attitude change via cues (attractiveness, authority) rather than arguments. Uses shortcuts when motivation/ability to process is low.
Which change reduces dissonance most directly: change attitude, change behavior, or add cognition?

Any of the three can reduce dissonance (change attitude, behavior, or add consonant cognition). Dissonance is flexible - we can adjust any inconsistent element.
Identify the concept: attitudes that are consciously accessible and self-reported.

Explicit attitudes. Deliberate attitudes people can articulate when asked.
Which change reduces dissonance: changing behavior, changing attitude, or adding cognitions?

Any of the three can reduce dissonance. All three strategies effectively restore cognitive consistency.
What is the definition of the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Persuasion via central route (high elaboration) or peripheral route (low elaboration). Two paths to persuasion based on how deeply we process messages.
What is the lowball technique in compliance and attitude change?

Gain commitment, then reveal added costs; commitment often persists. Initial commitment creates psychological investment despite new costs.
Which route (central or peripheral) is more likely to produce durable attitude change?

Central route. Deep processing of arguments creates stronger, lasting attitudes.
What does the behavioral component of an attitude specifically refer to?

Actions or behavioral intentions toward the attitude object. Behavior reflects how attitudes influence our actions.
What is self-perception theory of attitude formation?

People infer attitudes by observing their own behavior and context. We deduce our attitudes from observing our own actions.
Which route in ELM generally produces more durable attitude change: central or peripheral?

Central route. Deep processing creates stronger, longer-lasting attitudes.
Identify the concept: attitudes predict behavior best when they are specific and relevant.

Principle of attitude-behavior correspondence. Specificity increases predictive power of attitudes.
Which ELM route is most likely when motivation or ability to process a message is low?

Peripheral route processing. Low effort processing relies on cues like source attractiveness.
What is the difference between an attitude and a belief?

Attitude = evaluation; belief = proposition accepted as true. Attitudes involve evaluation; beliefs are cognitive acceptances.
What is the difference between informational social influence and normative social influence?

Informational: to be correct; normative: to be liked/accepted. We conform for accuracy (informational) or social approval (normative).
Which attitude change mechanism reduces dissonance by changing beliefs to fit behavior?

Cognitive dissonance reduction (attitude change to match behavior). People rationalize actions by aligning attitudes with them.
Which route tends to create more durable attitude change: central or peripheral?

Central route. Central processing creates stronger, longer-lasting attitude changes.
What is an attitude in social psychology (as used on the MCAT)?

An evaluation of an object, person, or idea (positive, negative, or neutral). Encompasses feelings, actions, and thoughts about the target.
Which option best describes the mere exposure effect on attitudes toward a neutral stimulus?

Repeated exposure increases liking, even without conscious recognition. Familiarity bred by repetition enhances positive affect toward stimuli, operating subconsciously to shape preferences.
What is the induced compliance paradigm used to study cognitive dissonance?

People are led to act against attitudes, then attitude change is measured. Participants perform attitude-inconsistent behaviors under varying conditions.
What is the difference between explicit and implicit attitudes?

Explicit: conscious report; implicit: automatic, often unconscious association. Explicit requires awareness; implicit operates below consciousness.
Which ELM route is most likely when motivation and ability to process a message are high?

Central route processing. High motivation and ability lead to careful argument evaluation.
Identify the dissonance prediction: After freely choosing a difficult task, how do attitudes change?

Attitudes become more favorable toward the chosen task (post-decision dissonance). We justify our choices by viewing them more positively afterward.
What is the central route to persuasion in the elaboration likelihood model (ELM)?

Persuasion via careful scrutiny of arguments (high elaboration). Requires motivation and ability to analyze message content.

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