Attitude Formation and Attitude Change Chapter Notes | AP Psychology - Grade 11 PDF Download

Introduction

Attitudes, shaped by stereotypes and implicit biases, influence how we perceive and interact with others, often unconsciously. These mental shortcuts reduce cognitive effort but can perpetuate prejudice and discrimination. Belief perseverance and cognitive dissonance explain why attitudes persist or change, affecting our ability to adapt to new information or resolve internal conflicts. This chapter explores how stereotypes, implicit attitudes, belief perseverance, and cognitive dissonance shape attitude formation and change.

Stereotypes and Implicit Attitudes

Stereotypes as Cognitive Shortcuts

Key characteristics of stereotypes include:

• Automatic activation, shaping judgments without conscious thought.
• Resistance to change, especially when reinforced through repeated exposure.
• Influence on both personal beliefs and broader societal systems.

Stereotypes are shaped and sustained by:

• Socialization and cultural norms, absorbing group-related messages from childhood.
• Limited personal experiences, which may misrepresent entire groups.
• Media representations, often amplifying or distorting group characteristics.
• Lack of exposure to diverse groups, relying on secondhand information.

Implicit Attitudes and Biases

Examples of implicit biases include:

• Microaggressions: Subtle, unintentional actions or words that reinforce stereotypes.
• Unconscious discrimination in areas like hiring, education, or law enforcement.
• Selective focus on information that aligns with stereotypes, ignoring contrary evidence.

Common biases influencing perceptions:

• Just-world phenomenon: The misconception that outcomes are always deserved, ignoring external factors.
• Out-group homogeneity bias: Viewing other groups as uniform while seeing diversity in one’s own group.
• In-group favoritism: Preferring members of one’s own group, often at others’ expense.
• Ethnocentrism: Judging other cultures against one’s own as the standard.

Belief Perseverance and Dissonance

Belief Perseverance and Confirmation

When confronted with evidence that challenges our beliefs, we often resist change, clinging to familiar ideas for psychological comfort. This phenomenon, known as belief perseverance, makes it hard to accept new perspectives, even when evidence is compelling.

Belief perseverance manifests through:

• Seeking information that supports existing views while avoiding contradictions.
• Interpreting unclear evidence to reinforce current beliefs.
• Dismissing or rationalizing opposing evidence rather than engaging with it.

Factors influencing belief perseverance:

• Beliefs tied to identity or worldview are harder to shift.
• Emotional attachment to beliefs increases resistance to change.
• Fear of consequences, like admitting errors or altering values.
• Lack of acceptable alternative explanations within one’s environment.

Hinders correction of misinformation, bridging divides, adapting to new knowledge. However, Recognizing perseverance fosters openness to reevaluation.

Cognitive Dissonance and Resolution

Cognitive dissonance arises when a person’s beliefs, actions, or emotions conflict, creating mental discomfort. This tension motivates efforts to restore harmony, sometimes sparking growth but often leading to rationalization to avoid unease.

Common triggers of cognitive dissonance:

• Questioning a tough decision after making it.
• Acting in ways that conflict with personal values.
• Encountering information that challenges one’s worldview.

Ways people reduce dissonance:

• Change beliefs to align with behavior.
• Modify behavior to match values.
• Justify inconsistency with new explanations.
• Minimize importance of inconsistency.