Problem
• Attitude Development.
Write down your attitudes on some important topic, and list the people and experiences that contributed to the development of this attitude. You may want to consider some of the following important issues currently making headlines such as gay marriage, gun control, or legalization of marijuana. You are not limited to these topics. Do you have examples of classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, modeling, and direct experience that relate to this discussion?
• Behaviour Determines Attitudes
The concept of behaviour preceding attitudes is foreign to many people. Consider the following illustrations to help you:
Role playing. When someone is put in a new role, they often take on attitudes to fit that role (e.g. Zimbardo's prison-guard study, actors playing evil roles).
Public Conformity: Displaying behaviour publicly often leads to internalizing the attitudes (e.g. signing a no-drinking contract with the high school prior to the prom leads to anti-drinking attitudes and norms; singing "Oh Canada" at a hockey game leads to patriotic attitudes).
To do: Provide an example of a situation where behaviour precedes attitude. If possible highlight any social psychological principles that were at play in the situation you highlighted within your journal entry.