Formation of Attitudes

Formation of Attitudes

In Social Psychology attitudes are defined as positive or negative evaluations of objects of thought. Attitudes typically have three components.

The cognitive component is made up of the thoughts and beliefs people hold about the object of the attitude.

The affective component consists of the emotional feelings stimulated by the object of the attitude.

The behavioral component consists of predispositions to act in certain ways toward an attitude object.

Some of the determinants of attitude formation and attitude change have been dealt with in the separate sections concerning the functions of attitudes; but it is useful to sum up in general ...