Attitudes (psychology)

10.350.30^Attitudes (psychology)|110.90.30^Attitudes (psychology)

Attitudes (psychology)

An attitude is an expression of favor or disfavor toward a person, place, thing, or event (the attitude object). Prominent psychologist Gordon Allport once described attitudes "the most distinctive and indispensable concept in contemporary social psychology.". Attitude can be formed from a person's past and present.

"Psychologists define attitudes as a learned tendency to evaluate things in a certain way. This can include evaluations of people, issues, objects or events. Such evaluations are often positive or negative, but they can also be uncertain at times. For example, you might have mixed feelings about a particular person or issue. Researchers also suggest that there are several different components that make up attitudes. An Emotional Component: How the object, person, issue or event makes you feel. A Cognitive Component: Your thoughts and beliefs about the subject. A Behavioral Component: How the attitude influences your behavior. Attitudes can also be explicit and implicit. Explicit attitudes are those that we are consciously aware of and that clearly influence our behaviors and beliefs. Implicit attitudes are unconscious, but still have an effect on our beliefs and behaviors." http://psychology.about.com/od/socialpsychology/a/attitudes.htm 2014/08/05 KH and RD

Accepted