Human Behavior > The Role of Attitudes in our Lives
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The Role of Attitudes in our LivesThe Role Attitudes Play in our Lives
Generally it may be said that we as humans act according to our convictions. Our beliefs determine our behaviour. These convictions are then seen as the person's rational viewpoints. When the actual nature of the mentioned beliefs is subjected to a more analytical scrutiny, however, it quickly becomes clear that the convictions or beliefs in question are something more than mere rational constructs.
A distinction must be made between convictions (which are rational constructs) and attitudes. It is not our convictions but our attitudes that determine our individual experiencing of and reaction to life. Attitudes are Multidimensional Psychological Constructs. "Attitude" refers to a particular predisposed tendency in the individual with regard to persons, events and matters. This can be described as a Psychological state of readiness brought about by experience, which exerts a guiding influence on the individual's reaction to all the relevant objects and situations. Therefore it is a learned response to specific objects/matters, decisively influencing the individual's conduct with regard thereto. Attitudes are Primarily created through Experience of Life. Attitudes are primarily built up through experience of life. Because of this they are intra-psychical constructs, which are formed by way of inputs ranging over the entire spectrum of human functioning. As such they are developed in the personal history of the individual and form part of the long-term (permanent) interaction structures in human functioning. Attitudes Play a significant Role in Behavior Authorities differ about the exact correlation between attitudes and behaviour. The reason for this is that research has indicated that human behaviour shows no consistent correlation to the attitudes which are verbalised. In this regard it is essential to note that situations are co-determinants of behaviour. So-called inconsequent attributes are especially observed when the individual is pressurised to a large degree to change his or her behaviour from that prescribed by his or her attitude. In particular there are a few social considerations which may cause a person to deviate in behaviour and act in conflict with his or her attitudes: - role-expectations - group pressure - amenability - conformity Attitudes are Dynamic Constructs. Attitudes are not rigid. They are dynamic in nature. Their dynamic (changing) natures in the first place have their raison d'etre in the human intra-psychical functioning - specifically as a result of the interactions among the various aspects of human functioning. Attitudes are also dynamic in the sense that new input can lead to a refashioning of the attitude construct in question. Note must however be taken of the fact that single-dimensional inputs (especially on the cognitive level) will not accomplish any great change in attitudes. Much research has been done concerning changes in attitude. The mentioned research has shown that such changes do take place, but that they are not long-term in nature. With this in mind we will have to look at the role of values in our lives. |