Attitudes and attitude change: the tri-component model, cognitive dissonance and persuasion (QCE Psychology Unit 4)
“Describe the structure of attitudes using the tri-component model; Describe implicit and explicit attitudes; Describe how discrepancies between attitudes, cognitions and behaviours can lead to discomfort and a drive to reduce it, as described in cognitive dissonance theory”
The tri-component (ABC) model holds that an attitude has affective, behavioural and cognitive components. Attitudes form mainly through learning, but they do not always predict behaviour. Attitudes change through cognitive dissonance (Festinger), when behaviour and attitudes conflict, and through persuasion, explained by the elaboration likelihood model's central and peripheral routes.
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What this dot point is asking
QCAA wants you to explain what an attitude is and how it is structured, describe how attitudes are formed and why they do not always predict behaviour, and explain the main psychological accounts of how attitudes change. You should use the tri-component model and named theories such as cognitive dissonance and named persuasion models.
The answer
What is an attitude?
An attitude is a learned, relatively stable evaluation of a person, object, idea or event that predisposes us to respond in a particular way. Attitudes are evaluative (positive, negative or mixed) and influence how we interpret and act in the social world.
The tri-component (ABC) model
This model proposes that an attitude has three interrelated components.
- Affective. The feelings or emotions toward the object (I feel anxious about exams).
- Behavioural. The way the attitude disposes us to act (I avoid studying).
- Cognitive. The beliefs and thoughts about the object (I believe exams are unfair).
A strong attitude usually shows consistency across all three components, though they can conflict.
How attitudes form
Attitudes are largely learned. Classical conditioning can attach emotion to an object through association; operant conditioning shapes attitudes through reward and punishment for expressing them; and observational learning transmits attitudes from parents, peers and media models. Mere exposure (repeated contact) also tends to increase liking.
The attitude-behaviour gap
Attitudes do not always predict behaviour. LaPiere (1934) travelled across the United States with a Chinese couple and was refused service only once, yet when later surveyed, most of the same establishments said they would refuse Chinese guests. This classic study showed a large gap between stated attitudes and actual behaviour. Attitudes predict behaviour best when they are strong, specific, based on direct experience and when situational pressures are weak.
Cognitive dissonance (Festinger, 1957)
Cognitive dissonance is the uncomfortable tension we feel when we hold two inconsistent cognitions, or when our behaviour conflicts with our attitudes. To reduce the discomfort, we often change the attitude to match the behaviour.
- Festinger and Carlsmith (1959). Participants did a boring task, then were paid either 1 dollar or 20 dollars to tell the next participant it was enjoyable. Those paid only 1 dollar later rated the task as more enjoyable than those paid 20 dollars. With insufficient external justification (1 dollar), participants reduced dissonance by changing their attitude to match their lie. This is strong evidence that behaviour can drive attitude change.
Persuasion and the elaboration likelihood model
Persuasion is deliberate attempts to change attitudes through communication. Petty and Cacioppo's elaboration likelihood model identifies two routes.
- Central route. Persuasion through careful evaluation of the strength of the arguments. It requires motivation and ability to think and produces lasting attitude change.
- Peripheral route. Persuasion through superficial cues such as the attractiveness or credibility of the source, used when people are unmotivated or distracted. It produces weaker, more temporary change.
The credibility, attractiveness and trustworthiness of the source, the quality of the message, and characteristics of the audience all affect persuasion.
In Festinger and Carlsmith's study, participants paid only 1 dollar to lie later reported genuinely enjoying the dull task more than those paid 20 dollars. The smaller payment gave too little external justification, so participants reduced dissonance by changing their attitude instead.
Putting it together for an exam
Define the attitude using the ABC model, explain its formation, then address change with a named theory. Use Festinger and Carlsmith for dissonance and the elaboration likelihood model for persuasion, and remember LaPiere for the attitude-behaviour gap.
- Listing the ABC components without examples
- Examiners want each of affective, behavioural and cognitive applied to a concrete attitude.
- Assuming attitudes always predict behaviour
- LaPiere's study shows a clear gap; note the conditions under which attitudes do predict behaviour.
- Getting the dissonance result backwards
- The smaller reward (1 dollar) produced more attitude change because it gave less external justification.
- Confusing the two persuasion routes
- The central route processes argument quality; the peripheral route relies on surface cues like source attractiveness.
Exam-style questions
Questions in the style of QCAA exam questions on this dot point, each with a worked answer. They are written by ExamExplained unless tagged "Past paper"; the year shows the paper a question is modelled on.
Practice6 marksThe 'what is beautiful is good' stereotype refers to a tendency to form positive attitudes about people judged physically attractive. People tend to associate positive personal traits with physical attractiveness, and these associations lead to discrimination based on appearance, e.g. attractive adults receive more help from others. a) Identify the components of the tri-component model of attitudes. [3 marks] b) Explain these findings in terms of the tri-component model of attitudes. [3 marks]
Show worked answer →
a) 1 mark each: the affective (emotional) component, the behavioural component, and the cognitive (belief) component.
b) Apply each component to the stereotype (1 mark each):
- Cognitive: the belief that attractive people also have positive traits such as social competence (the stereotype itself).
- Affective: positive feelings or liking directed toward attractive people.
- Behavioural: acting on these, for example giving attractive adults more help and cooperation (discrimination based on appearance).
Practice4 marksThis question refers to the experiment conducted by Asch (1951). Describe explicit and implicit attitudes, with reference to the experiment.Show worked answer →
Two attitudes described with reference to Asch, up to 4 marks (about 2 marks each).
Explicit attitudes are consciously held evaluations that a person is aware of and can report. In Asch's task, a participant's conscious, openly stated belief about which comparison line truly matched the standard is an explicit attitude (1 to 2 marks).
Implicit attitudes are automatic, unconscious evaluations that influence behaviour without deliberate awareness. In Asch's experiment, a participant's underlying, automatic judgement of the obvious correct line, even while publicly conforming to the wrong majority answer, reflects an implicit attitude (1 to 2 marks).
Practice3 marksVan der Meer et al. (2020) recruited participants with strong views to rate the likelihood they would read eight headlines from outlets with different political orientations. Participants more often rated articles consistent with their views as 'highly likely to read'. a) Describe a source of cognitive dissonance from this study. [1 mark] b) Contrast confirmation bias and self-serving bias. Identify which bias was responsible for how participants rated articles. [2 marks]
Show worked answer →
a) (1 mark) Reading an article that contradicts a strongly held view creates dissonance between the existing attitude and the conflicting information, which is uncomfortable, so participants avoid such articles.
b) Contrast (1 mark): confirmation bias is the tendency to seek and favour information that confirms existing beliefs, whereas self-serving bias is attributing successes to oneself and failures to external factors to protect self-esteem.
Identification (1 mark): confirmation bias was responsible, because participants preferred articles consistent with their existing views.