Social psychologyLesson 3 of 7 in the course Social Psychology

Attitudes, Cognitive Dissonance, and Persuasion: Core Concepts

5 flashcards · 4 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Attitudes shape how we evaluate people, ideas, and objects. This lesson introduces the components of an attitude and explains how conflict between what we believe and what we do can create cognitive dissonance.

An attitude is an evaluation of a person, idea, or object. Attitudes are often favorable or unfavorable, meaning they can be positive or negative. We may have attitudes toward products, other people, social issues, and political policies.

All flashcards

What is an attitude?
An evaluation of a person, idea, or object, often favorable or unfavorable.
What is cognitive dissonance?
Psychological discomfort that can arise from inconsistency among attitudes, behaviors, or cognitions.
What is justification of effort?
The tendency to value a goal, achievement, or group more after working hard to attain it.
What is the central route to persuasion?
A route that relies on careful evaluation of arguments, facts, and evidence.
What is the foot-in-the-door technique?
A strategy in which agreement to a small request is followed by a larger request.

Quiz questions

  1. Which three factors does the Yale attitude change approach consider when explaining a message's persuasiveness?Answer: The source, the message, and the audience.
  2. In a study, participants who underwent a difficult initiation rated a boring discussion group more favorably than participants with no or easy initiation. What concept does this illustrate?Answer: Justification of effort.
  3. When is persuasion through the central route most likely to be effective?Answer: When the audience is motivated and able to evaluate the arguments carefully.
  4. A person agrees to display a small sign and is later asked to display a larger one. Which persuasion technique does this illustrate?Answer: The foot-in-the-door technique.

Based on Psychology 2e by Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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