Transcript of Audio Lecture
Welcome to lesson six, module four.
Here we’re going to talk about the ability of attitudes to predict
behaviors.
Let’s move on to slide
two. What is the impact of attitudes on behavior. Well first attitudes
guide our behavior, they tell us where to look, they tell us what it is
that we’re looking at or what we see and it also points us into what
studies you criticize. If we encounter a study that goes against a value
you have or is counter-intuitive, you’re much more likely to criticize
that study than one that confirms whatever biases you already have.
Let’s move on to slide
three to discuss the specific theory. Behavioral intentions are measured
by the theory of reasoned action. The theory of reasoned action takes
attitudes and subjective norms, uses them to predict the behavioral
intention which is then in turn thought to predict behavior. The attitude
is self-explanatory, it’s your evaluation of an object. The subjective
norm is what your parents or others who are important to you believe you
should do. This makes up your behavioral intentions. Subjective norms
also take into account your motivation to comply with those important
others. This predicts for some behavior, however control also has an
impact on whether or not an attitude will eventually predict a behavior.
Thus, the theory was modified and is now called the theory of planned
behavior and a perceived behavioral control component was added. The
perceived behavioral control directly influences not only behavioral
intentions, but behavior as well. We have a very positive attitude
towards going to see a movie this Christmas. You may even have positive
subjective norms. Others who are important to you think you should see
the movie. Therefore, you may form an intention that you should
definitely go. However, perceived behavioral control, you may know that
you actually have no money to go see the movie and therefore that will
directly affect your behavioral intention to go. However, if after you
formed this intention you are given several dollars for Christmas, then
this may increase the likelihood that you will, in fact, go to the movie.
Let’s move on to slide
four. Behavioral intentions do predict, however, implementation
intentions are better predictors of behavior. Implementation intentions
means that you’ve actually made plans to do a behavior. They tend to be future
oriented and to involve very specific plans. Once you’ve done this, it is
much more likely that you will actually implement those intentions and
perform the behavior.
Let’s move to slide five.
We’ve talked about intentions, both behavioral and implementation
intentions, but behavioral expectations may be even better predictors of
behavior. We all know that the road to hell is paved with good
intentions. In fact if I asked you if you intend to do something,
if it’s a socially desirable something, you will say absolutely.
For example, if there was a pitcher who was very good, a major league
pitcher and you were going to bat against this pitcher and I asked you
if you intend to hit the ball. You’ve learned over time that the
correct answer is absolutely, you have the best of intentions. But
if I asked if you expect that you actually will hit the ball, that your
bat will actually make contact, your expectation might be much lower.
Currently we’re doing a series of work that looks at behavioral
expectations for behaviors that are either completely under your
control, that is flossing your teeth versus
less under your control, using a condom with a partner. Here this
involves another person and so their perceptions and your perceived
behavioral control over that person and the situation will influence whether or not
the behavior actually happens.
Let’s move to slide six.
So how can we increase attitude behavior consistency. After all our
interest in attitudes comes primarily from the idea that we can change our
attitudes and therefore change behaviors. We know that the attitude
behavior link is strongest when attitudes are accessible. We can do this
by directly making them accessible, see how people consider your feelings
or consider your attitudes toward this object, this person, this policy.
We can also make people self-aware. This makes people more aware of their
important attitudes, usually called values. We can do this by simply
placing them in front of a mirror, showing themselves on a monitor, and so
on. Some attitudes are accessible automatically through direct
experience, so once in the presence of that object or that person to whom
they have the attitude towards, then the attitude becomes immediately
accessible.
Let’s move on to slide
seven. So how do you make up your mind, how do you choose. If it’s a
difficult decision, we tend to use attitudes as short cuts. So what about
new objects, new people, new ideas. How are those attitudes formed. It’s
not just a composite. For example, someone who likes barbecue a great
deal and even greatly enjoys chicken and certainly loves pizza, may still
dislike barbecued chicken pizza. Therefore, it seems that attitude
formation is not simply summing up the component parts, but rather our
consideration of an object as a whole.
This concludes lesson
six, module four. Thank you.
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