Attitude object
An attitude object is any concept or entity around which an attitude forms, integrating both cognition and affect in a way that shapes how individual evaluate that object. Attitudes toward objects can evolve over time, influenced by various situational and contextual factors. An example of an attitude object is a product. People can hold various beliefs about cars as well as evaluations of those beliefs. Together these beliefs and affective evaluations of those beliefs represent an attitude toward the object.
Attitude objects also play a significant role in shaping and determining the functions of attitudes, which can be classified as utilitarian, social identity, or self-esteem maintenance functions. The utilitarian function involves attitudes toward objects that provide direct benefits, which help maximize rewards or minimize discomfort. As for the social identity function relates to objects, which symbolize values and social identity, helping individuals express who they are and their affiliations. Lastly, the self-esteem maintenance function involves objects that impact self-worth.
Historical development of attitude object theory
The understanding of attitude objects has changed considerable since the early 1900s. Early psychological research treated attitudes as simple evaluations, but later findings suggested that these evaluations depend heavily on the specific object they target. Researchers like Thurstone and Likert were among the first to emphasize the importance of clearly identifying the object of an attitude.Factors
Attitude towards an object are influenced not only by the characteristics of the object itself but also by the context in which the object is encountered, a concept known as attitude-toward-situation.The behavior is better predicted when both the attitude-toward-object and attitude-toward-situation are considered. This interaction highlights the significance of the situational context alongside of the object in shaping attitudes and determining behavior. For instance, the study showed that an individual's behavior is influenced by their attitude toward both a particular professor and their general view of attending classes, illustrating the combined impact of object and situational attitudes. A real-world example for this illustration is that a student's attitude toward a specific professor and their general view on attending classes interact to influence their behavior in an academic setting, illustrating how both situational and object-based attitudes collectively impact decisions.