What are the functions of attitudes?
- Ego defensive function
- Value expressive
- Knowledge Functions
- Utilitarian function
- Social adjudicative function
Ego defensive function
o Sometimes attitudes are designed to make us feel good about ourselves: to protect our self-esteem or to ward off guilt.
o Many ego-defensive mechanisms lie outside conscious awareness ... denial, repression, projection (project negative quality onto other people) and rationalization are all example of ego-defensive attitudes that Freud was interested in.
Value expressive
o Value expressive attitudes are designed to project an idea of who we are ... to communicate an identity.
o For example if you see yourself as left-wing or as a militant radical, you might cultivate attitudes that are consistent with that self-image. Some of this is common sense ... people who are concerned about their carbon footprint might develop negative attitudes towards cars.
o This can also help explain why apparently random attitudes are often held in "clusters", as people take on the attitudes that best advertise who they are (e.g., environmentalist, hipster).
o You identify as a Christian but didn't have any info on gay couples. When you want to communicate your Christian beliefs to others your attitudes on gay marriage may be hurt
o Hipsters
Knowledge Functions
o Sometimes attitudes serve the function of making the world more understandable and predictable.
o Examples of attitudes that serve this function are stereotypes (e.g., French men are arrogant) and worldviews that help make things fit together and make sense (e.g., I believe good things happen to good people, so when I see a beggar on the street I think they brought their problems on themselves).
o Grotesque rules of thumb
o Belief in a just world
-World is indifferent
-Karma
-If you work hard good things will happen to you
o Helps organize world and help things fit together
o Sees homeless people and think if they worked harder they wouldn't be like that
Utilitarian function
o Attitudes sometimes serve the utilitarian function of maximizing reward and minimizing punishment.
o For example business people may favour a political party that keeps taxes low, whereas an unemployed person might favour a political party that protects welfare.
Social adjudicative function
o A subset of utilitarian attitudes are those that help us fit in: maximizing social gains and minimizing the potential for rejection and isolation.
o Both attitudes and behavior are heavily influenced by what other people think you should do (prescriptive norms) and what other people actually do (descriptive norms).
o Tailor attitudes to smooth the process of liking
o Descriptive and proscriptive norms
