Many definitions exist that attempt to determine what exactly an attitude is, however, a few widely accepted definitions will be used to illustrate. A widely accepted definition of an attitude is offered by Judd, Ryan and Parke, (1991) which says that attitudes can be viewed as evaluations of various objects that are stored in memory. Attitudes, according to Baron and Byrne (2000), refer to our evaluations of various aspects of the social world. Krech, Crutchfield and Ballachey (1962), describes it as an enduring system of positive or negative evaluations, emotional feelings and pro or con action tendencies with respect to a social object.
The objects of attitudes are anything that exits for the individual. As individuals, we have a vast array of attitudes towards objects in the physical world. There are three (3) primary approaches of analyzing attitudes. They are attitudes as memories, evaluations and dissection into three (3) major components call the ABC Triparte Model. Attitudes can be formed from memory. The more we master a task, the more we enjoy doing it and cultivate a positive attitude towards doing or learning something.
For example, if an individual knows how to perform a task well, using a particular method, which has been repeated and memorized numerous times, they will be more likely to use the same method if asked to repeat the same task, as they are more familiar and comfortable with this method. Attitudes can be formed from simple evaluation. It is the ability to assess an object, idea, or person and form opinions hence cultivating an attitude towards them. If an individual is about to taste caviar for the first time, they may be able to assess the colour, scent, and shape and read the ingredients on the container, to form an opinion and attitude.
The evaluation process allows them to decide if the individual thinks it may be appealing or distasteful to them. Attitudes consist of three (3) components, which are the affective, behavioral and cognitive components. The affective component is the feeling component, where our attitudes are based on high or low desirability towards an object, idea or person. Pizza may be of high desirability for an individual as opposed to steamed vegetables. The behavioral component relates to our intended physical reaction towards an object, idea or person.
It does not necessarily mean that the individual will act in a particular way towards the object. For instance, most people who live in upper-class neighborhoods view people of lower classes moving into the area as undesirable. The homeowners in the upscale neighborhood may want to sign a petition to block certain people from entering into their area. The idea of the action is there, but not necessarily carried through. The cognitive component consists of an individual’s beliefs about an object, idea or person. My personal example is the cellular phone and its place in a public setting.
I do not think it is appropriate to have a cellular phone on during a public event. Hence, my attitude towards people who continue to display this lack of consideration is negative, and I view guilty individuals as persons without any social graces. Most psychologists agree that attitudes are acquired through social learning, which is the process of acquiring attitudes through others. Social learning occurs through classical, instrumental and observational learning. Other factors include self-comparison and genetics.