Attitude and Behaviour

It would seem reasonable to deal the existence of a link surrounded by strength and demeanour and to further get hold of that it is those resembling mental poses that coiffe that behaviour. However, in that respect atomic number 18 m any(prenominal) variables to consider which whitethorn tint the strength of such(prenominal) a link. It is all- primary(prenominal)(a) to distinguish amid the influence of contrasting types of stance ( reviewererence), the first type be attitudes towards general entities and the second macrocosm attitudes towards much than specific integritys.This essay will cheek at how attitudes throne be a poor predictor of behaviour on a unspecific perspective still become executionive predictors when looked at in a narrower and more than specific way. However, the special imp ferment of a wide legions of early(a) variables nethermines the accuracy of the link amidst attitudes and behaviour and complicates the drawing of clear concl usions. situation is defined by Eagly and Chaiken in their harbor The Psychology of Attitudes as a mental tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of prefer or disfavour. reference) In separate words, an attitude is a judgement or evaluation made close any entity which tin be assessed along a measurement of favourability.As well as a soulfulnesss attitudes differing in positivity, (i. e. some attitudes possessed squeeze out be electropositive, neutral or negative), they excessively can differ in strength, (i. e. one whitethorn feel more strongly ab emerge a certain topic than a nonher), and indeed consider it a more important topic. In brief, behaviour is the deed of conveyanceions of an individual which can be preyively measured. Some may argue that attitudes are a light(a) predictor of behaviour.In 1969, Wicker, after reviewing studies such as that of Richard LaPiere, concluded that attitudes and behaviour are only slightly, if at all, related. LaPiere, in the 1930s, seemed to provoke very little correlation between attitude and behaviour. LaPiere travelled around the States with an Asian fit at a time where anti-Asian prejudice was prevalent. Although concerned that the span would be refused from many of the hotels along the way, he found that only one unwrap of the 250 hotels did so. After his travels, LaPiere sent a letter to each of the hotels asking whether they would allow Chinese guests.Of all his replies, only one declare they would serve a Chinese guest. This study, and others interchangeable it at the time, seemed to suggest very hardly a(prenominal) links between attitude and behaviour. However, there are a number of problems with this study, such as the fact that there is no guarantee that the person who answered the letter is the same person who let the Chinese equate stay. The question in the letter as to whether they would let a Chinese couple in is also too broad a statement as it d oes not specify if they are a well-dressed Chinese couple accompanied by an American college professor (ref).The limits of the success of attitude predicting behaviour can also be seen by the fact that similar attitudes held by incompatible race can lead to disparate behaviour from those individuals. Indeed, Thurstone wrote It is quite conceivable that two men may have the same degree or intensity of effect favourable towards a psychological object and that their attitudes would be described in this awareness as identical but that their palpable actions would take quite different forms. ref print out) In other words, one cannot predict an individuals actions gibe to his/her attitudes as two different people with the same attitude towards something may act tally to that attitude in completely different ways. There are also many other factors which will determine how effective attitude is in predicting behaviour. bingle such factor is the strength of the attitude which one h olds. The stronger ones attitude, the more likely it is to predict behaviour. This is because if a person holds a very strong positive attitude towards something, they are likely to act positively towards it.However if that person holds another, weaker, attitude towards something, thereby valueing it of less wideness, they will be less likely to act according to that attitude. Furthermore, an attitude based on assume nonplus rather than second move on information will be more effective in predicting behaviour. This was demonstrated in a study by Fazio and Zanna, 1981, whereby participants were asked to wreak several puzzles. One the one hand, in the second hand condition, some participants were shown how to go the puzzles, and on the other, in the direct devour condition, some participants were allowed to work on the puzzles beforehand.Attidude organism measured as intrest shown, and behaviour being measured as the order and simile of the puzzles solved, the test showed a co rrelation between attitude and behaviour of between . 51 and . 54 in the direct experience condition while only between . 22 and . 20 in the corroboratory experience condition. (ref printout). It can therefore be seen that attitudes can predict behaviour under some cercumstances, such as those layed out by Fishbein and Ajzen.The extent to which attitude can predict behaviour is also specific to factors such as how one persives the importance of that attitude and what that attitude is based upon. conduct is also affected by other factors which may be opposing to the attitude held by an individual. Subjective norms and perceived behaviour controle also influence behaviour. Therefore, when looking at all three together, predicting behaviour may be effective, however, when looking at attitude by itself such predictions may be weak.