What is Attitude?

“ Attitude is a pre-disposition to respond in a

positive or negative way to someone or
something in one’s environment.”
 Attitude Towards Taste

Vegetarian food Non-Vegetarian food

Theories of Attitude
Formation
 Four theories of Attitude
Formation
 Balance Theory
 Congruity Theory
 Cognitive Dissonance Theory
 Attribution Theory
Balance Theory and Attitude Change
• Initial attitude • Eventual Attitude

Ever yuth • Ever yuth

 Congruity Theory
• “C.E. Osgood” and “P.H.” Tannenbaum” developed this theory in
1995. The theory is based on the assumption that positive and
negative attitude adds the concept of attitude strength.
 Behavior Can Precede or Follow
Attitude Formation
Cognitive Attribution
Dissonance
Theory Theory
●
Holds that discomfort or A theory concerned with
●

dissonance occurs when a how people assign causality

consumer holds to events and form or alter
conflicting thoughts about their attitudes as an outcome
a belief or an attitude of assessing their own or
object. other people’s behavior.

Chapter Eight
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 10
Slide
 Issues in Attribution Theory
• Self-perception Theory
▫ Foot-In-The-Door Technique
• Attributions Toward Others
• Attributions Toward Things