Psychological Questions

The Psychological Questions Psychologists focus on people ’ s behaviours and attitudes (e.g. social problem of drinking and driving). Psychologists focus on people ’ s behaviours and attitudes (e.g. social problem of drinking and driving). They are concerned with programs which can help people change their behaviour (e.g. MADD). They are concerned with programs which can help people change their behaviour (e.g. MADD).

The Psychological Questions Psychologists may ask the following questions: Psychologists may ask the following questions: 1. What must people do to successfully change their behaviours? 2. What factors make behaviour-modification programs successful? 3. Do most people need help changing behaviour, or can they be self-changers?

The Psychological Questions Psychological research involves the strong links between people ’ s attitudes (what they think) and their behaviours (what they do) Psychological research involves the strong links between people ’ s attitudes (what they think) and their behaviours (what they do) Psychologists want to know if it is necessary to change individuals ’ attitudes before behaviour can be changed (e.g. change the person ’ s attitude about drinking before person will stop drinking and driving). Psychologists want to know if it is necessary to change individuals ’ attitudes before behaviour can be changed (e.g. change the person ’ s attitude about drinking before person will stop drinking and driving).

The Psychological Questions In search for answers about changing people ’ s behaviour, psychologists ask the question: In search for answers about changing people ’ s behaviour, psychologists ask the question: Are friends more effective then strangers in changing a person ’ s attitudes? Are friends more effective then strangers in changing a person ’ s attitudes?

The Psychological Questions How effectively does the media mould and change our attitudes? How effectively does the media mould and change our attitudes?

The Psychological Questions If society considers a behaviour unacceptable, and imposes sanctions against it, are individuals more likely to stop this behaviour? If society considers a behaviour unacceptable, and imposes sanctions against it, are individuals more likely to stop this behaviour? Or is it deeper than that? Or is it deeper than that?

The Psychological Questions What personal qualities make it easy or difficult to persuade an individual to change? What personal qualities make it easy or difficult to persuade an individual to change? Are people generally more receptive to logical or emotional arguments? Are people generally more receptive to logical or emotional arguments?

Cognitive Consistency Through their studies, social psychologists have discovered that most individuals desire cognitive consistency in their beliefs. Through their studies, social psychologists have discovered that most individuals desire cognitive consistency in their beliefs. This means that we want to avoid attitudes that conflict with each other. This means that we want to avoid attitudes that conflict with each other. When two attitudes conflict with each other we experience discomfort. When two attitudes conflict with each other we experience discomfort.

Our desire to regain cognitive consistency forces us to change one of the conflicting attitudes. Our desire to regain cognitive consistency forces us to change one of the conflicting attitudes.

The most favoured theory of attitude change is called the cognitive dissonance theory. The most favoured theory of attitude change is called the cognitive dissonance theory.

Example: Suppose you smoke, but you also believe that smoking causes cancer and other serious diseases. Suppose you smoke, but you also believe that smoking causes cancer and other serious diseases. You are experiencing dissonance, meaning that what you do conflicts with what you think. You are experiencing dissonance, meaning that what you do conflicts with what you think. In your desire to regain cognitive consistency, you will probably try to avoid facing the conflict. You may avoid smoking in front of a friend who is strongly opposed to smoking (thereby avoiding a lecture). In your desire to regain cognitive consistency, you will probably try to avoid facing the conflict. You may avoid smoking in front of a friend who is strongly opposed to smoking (thereby avoiding a lecture).

What are other options to effectively reduce the dissonance you feel in a situation ? What are other options to effectively reduce the dissonance you feel in a situation ?

You can change your behaviour to make it consistent with your attitudes- you can stop smoking. You can change your behaviour to make it consistent with your attitudes- you can stop smoking.

You can reinforce your attitude (e.g. my grandma was heavy smoker and lived to be 93). You can reinforce your attitude (e.g. my grandma was heavy smoker and lived to be 93).

You may fool yourself for a while, yet as long as you live in a state of dissonance, you will probably experience anxiety and be very uncomfortable-even hostile-if someone criticizes your behaviour. You may fool yourself for a while, yet as long as you live in a state of dissonance, you will probably experience anxiety and be very uncomfortable-even hostile-if someone criticizes your behaviour.

Dissonance Did you ever do something that you knew was wrong and ended up feeling anger; resulting from the dissonance between what you do and what you think ? Did you ever do something that you knew was wrong and ended up feeling anger; resulting from the dissonance between what you do and what you think ?

Theory of Attitude Change Cognitive Dissonance Theory Cognitive Dissonance Theory Six Stages of Change (Behaviour Modification) -Pre-contemplation (denial, refusal) -Contemplation (questioning) -Preparation (investigation) -Action (commitment) -Maintenance (transition) -Termination (completion) Six Stages of Change (Behaviour Modification) -Pre-contemplation (denial, refusal) -Contemplation (questioning) -Preparation (investigation) -Action (commitment) -Maintenance (transition) -Termination (completion) Positive and Negative Reinforcement Positive and Negative Reinforcement