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Defining Attitude
There are many different definitions of ‘attitude’, however, that advanced by
Schiffman and Kanuk contains most of the major concepts: a learned predisposition
to behave in a consistently favorable or unfavorable way with respect to a given
object (1996). The main characteristics of attitudes are indicated by the key words
in the definition: learned, predisposition, behave.
Remember that attitudes occur within a situation and that the situation can, and will,
influence the relationship between attitude and behavior. A consumer can have
different attitudes towards the same product depending on the situation.
Formation of attitude
Attitude is not be solid, it can be change with the passage of time, with the
requirements of the environment. The formation of attitude not be completed in one
day, it is a slowly process. We have many factors that formatted the attitudes.
1) Psychological factors
2) Personal Experience
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1: Psychological factors
Psychological factors involved in Attitude Formation and Attitude Change
Direct Instruction
Direction instruction involves being told what attitudes to have by parents, schools,
community organizations, religious doctrine, friends, etc.
Operant Conditioning
Classical Conditioning
Unconscious Motivation.
Some attitudes are held because they serve some unconscious function for an
individual. For example, a person who is threatened by his homosexual feelings
may employ the defense mechanism of reaction formation and become a crusader
against homosexuals. Or, someone who feels inferior may feel somewhat better by
putting down a group other than her own. Because it is unconscious, the person will
not be aware of the unconscious motivation at the time it is operative, but may
become aware of it as some later point in time.
Rational Analysis
Rational analysis involves the careful weighing of evidence for, and against, a
particular attitude. For example, a person may carefully listen to the presidential
debates and read opinions of political experts in order to decide which candidate to
vote for in an election.
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2: Personal Experiences
People also learnt attitude through their personal experience. They adopted good
attitude by their personal experience.
There are some factors that describe the personal experience. These are:
Every person has lot of information. Which some are necessary or some are
unnecessary. Some people reducing surplus information and format good attitude
with necessary information.
Personal Interest
People learned attitude through pleasant and unpleasant thing by their personal
interest.
Needs Satisfaction
The things or person that fulfill our desire or needs us format a positive attitude
towards. The thing and person that not fulfill our desires and needs so we built
negative attitude towards.
Solution of Problems
Attitude also developed during solving problems because attitudes are relatively
stable and enduring disposition’ so they are helpful to solving problems in future.
Previous Experience
Our previous experience provides us a base format good attitude for future.
Isolated Events
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Reliable Personality
When we know about liking and disliking of our favorite personality. We also copied
his liking and disliking. So’ we can say that reliable personality influenced on our
attitude.
Parent’s Influence
Early in our life parents are the source of our attitudes. As we grew up sources are
multiply.
Teacher’s Influence
Teachers are role model for their students. Students copy their teachers. The
student’s attitude influenced by their teacher’s talking style, dressing style, walking
style etc
Mass Communication
Mass communication is also influenced on our attitudes. In modern age we have two
types of mass communications.
These are:
1. Print Media
2. Electric Media
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Types of Attitude
Positive Attitude
The Persons, who will be possessing positive behavior, will explore good things in
others and will not go after negativity. This type of attitude is comprised of the
following things;
The people with positive attitude move forward with confidence and
optimism.
They remain happy and cheerful.
Their dealings with others is comprised of Sincerity.
They are blessed with sense of responsibility
They remain flexible in their approach.
They remain determined in their tasks.
They are the most Reliable persons.
Tolerance is another hallmark of their personality.
On account of their flexibility, they remain Willing to adapt according to the
new challenges and situations.
They are very modest and keep themselves in low profile, even though they
are not low profiled.
Such persons exercise great degree of diligence.
Negative Attitude
This type of persons will always be searching weaker elements of others personality
and are not inclined towards positive elements. Their focus remains on bad people
and avoids good People. Also, they are likely to complain about changes, rather than
adapting to the changing environment. Also, they might blame their failure on
others.
Such type of persons are always prone to extreme degree of anger and carry the
sentiments of hatred for others. Their approach is choked with pessimism and their
behavior is fraught with frustration. They are always doubts about the credibility of
others and remain jealous of others achievements. They feel others inferior and
hence are suffering a self-styled superiority complex
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Neutral Attitude
Such types of persons are very balanced in their approach. They remain indifferent
to problems and wait for others intervention regarding resolutions. Such type of
persons remains self-satisfied and complacent. Their attitude is composed of
indifference and detachment. Another striking element of their attitude is serene and
unemotional type of posture which makes them very balanced.
It must be noted that there is a very thin line between personality traits and attitude.
While the former are more rigid and permanent, the latter may change with different
situations and experiences in life. So, attitudes are learned and acquired. Also,
attitude could be explicit or implicit. Attitude at an unconscious level that might be
unknown to us, and is formed involuntarily is referred to as implicit attitude. On the
other hand, explicit attitude refers to the attitude at a conscious level. Implicit attitude
might be attributed to past experiences or influences.
It must be noted that one's behavior might not always reflect one's attitude. However,
studies have suggested that people might change their behavior, if the
inconsistencies between their beliefs and behavior are pointed out to them. In
general, a positive attitude is most likely to have a good effect on one's behavior.
Attitude. For that, one would need to change the way he/she thinks, feels, or behaves.
However, changing the way one feels is not that easy. The affective component of
attitude is powerful and difficult to control.
Sikken Attitude
This is most dangerous attitude because reflects the state of mind’s negativity and
possess enough potential to destroy the image of every related thing coming in mind.
Sometimes it is assumed somewhat synonymous to negative attitude because it is
more destructive than the negative attitude.
The person carrying this type of attitude cannot alter or amend one’s opinion because
of its penetration at the base level.
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