Aimae T.

Surig
BS Psychology II

Social Psychology
Reflection #1

January 16, 2014

Attitudes
For many centuries, people think of these attitudes as the source of our behavior. Researchers even wondered how much our attitudes affect our actions. But as many studies have conducted and researchers continue to observe and investigate, it found out that attitudes are often poor predictors of behaviors although people tend to have implicit wisdom in the society about this popular rationality. Many studies on this topic found only a modest correlation between attitude and behavior and several reasons why the relationship is not stronger are because of how will these attitudes been activated, its characteristics and correspondence, and the external influences or situational constraints. But would there be an opposite direction on these attitudes and behavior? Were we likely not only to think ourselves into action but also to act ourselves into a way of our thinking? The attitude-action relation can explain it. Briefly, this opposite direction emphasizes that when we act, we intensify the idea underlying what we have done, especially when we feel responsible for it. There are many avenues of indication supporting that meet this principle; such actions, which shape the attitudes of the role players, are commended by humans social roles. Thus we can infer that: what we say or write can strongly influence attitudes that we subsequently hold. Even these actions affect moral attitudes: we can easily incline to justify what we have done, especially if its a wrong act of morality, as right. However, is there shift from our expressed attitudes toward consistency with behavior? To some extent, yespeople exhibit a much smaller attitude change. Why is this so? Its because we actually cannot have a drastic, immediate change of attitude. Its only when an imbalance on the situation occurs, individuals will be then motivated to change their attitudes or behavior in restoring the harmony. Similar with the observation that most peoples cognitions are consistent with one another implies that individuals are motivated to maintain that consistency. No matter what issues are rising towards attitudes and our behavior, the fact will remain that our attitudes are very important to us and the society. Even so, attitudes are an important influence on the people. In this social world, our particular attitude does not exist in isolation; we, in reality, do

interact with different attitudes and behaviors. Throughout the course of time, we do retain attitudes for months, years, and even in a lifetime. With this chapter, the study of the concepts about attitudes helps me understand why do such people act in different behavior and with different attitudes, and this lesson compelled me positively to lessens my behavior toward assessing others through commonsense. The learning I have with this chapter offers me a powerful lesson for life that I might be bringing throughout this year. Change is constant thus why do every New Year people are looking out and expecting for change within them and within how they constructively act in the social world. If we want to change ourselves in some important way, its best not to wait for insight or inspiration. Change is not something to be magical that if you want for it, a genie will be granting it immediately. Sometimes we need to act, even if we dont feel like acting.