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The following points highlight the three main reasons for change in attitude of an individual. The reasons are: 1. Compliance 2. Identification 3. Internalization.
Reason # 1. Compliance:
In compliance, the opinion is adopted publicly because of public pressure without actual inner acceptance and desire to conform to the expectations of others to avoid punishment and get rewards only. Soon after the group releases it pressure on the individual, he switches back to his initial opinion and hence, his attitude changes.
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Reason # 2. Identification:
When the individual adopts the attitudes of a group of persons, like the family or near relations because of his satisfying relationship with that group this influence is called identification. Many of our basic attitudes are formed out of the support to these closely affiliated groups.
This type of social influence has its rudiments in family interaction, school, peers and playmates. As already indicated, parents transfer to their children their own attitudes, beliefs, opinions, ideas and prejudices. Besides, the school helps in the formation of political and ideological beliefs and attitudes.
Newcomb’s famous Bennington study (1958) indicates how group norm influences the development of attitude even of college students towards important public issues. New comb conducted this classic study on the students of Bennington Women’s college in the United States situated in an isolated place this small college at that time had about 250 women students who were not exposed to urban life experiences.
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The principal and teachers of this college made it a special duty to make the students aware of the social and economic issues. It was their aim to create social and economic awareness, besides, making them educationally fit.
Most of the students of this college came from economically privileged urban families and at that time children coming from such families usually developed conservative attitude towards political and social issues.
In 1930, during the depression years in USA. New comb gave a test to these students every year to study their attitude towards current social issues. Besides, giving attitude questionnaire she used the interviewing technique to know if there was any change in their attitude particularly towards unemployment, organisation of labour and public relief etc.
Though earlier these students came with conservative attitude, New Comb observed that with the passage of time and training by the college, their attitude changed from conservatism to liberalism on these issues.
Particularly it was noticed that prestige and leadership were acquired by those students who were very liberal. The differences in attitude with these live issues were also statistically reliable. But it was also noticed that conservative attitude did not change in some students significantly inspite of the college training. A few students also resisted to change.
New Comb explained this change of attitude of the majority and rigidity in attitude in case of some students in terms of reference group concept. It is a fact that every group has his own norm, reference group, his own status and role structures in developing an attitude.
The prevailing norms of the group help in the growth of particular attitude of a person. In case of those majority students who changed their attitude from conservatism to liberalism, their reference group became the liberal attitude of the college.
Conversely, those who resisted change of attitude their family continued to be their reference group and liberalism and social norm of the college had no substantial influence on their attitude. So, their attitude did not change from conservatism to liberalism. The question further arises why the college could be able to bring change in the attitude of some and not in a few others?
Those who changed, they obtained a sense of belongingness, a sense of status and achievement in the college community and had close affinity with it. The other group having very few members which did not change were very indifferent to the functions and activities of the college community.
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They did not feel identify or belong to it. Because of conflicts between the ideals of the home and ideals of the college in case of some students, their attitude did not change.
In another study on’ Group decision and Social Change (1952) Lewin and his associates tried to study the problem of attitude change using the technique of group decision. This is another example of the technique of group interaction.
This study wanted to trace whether group norm is the priority of the group as a whole. By changing the group norm, the behaviour and attitude of the individual can only be changed. Further group norm can be changed only through group participation and not through change in individual experience of a person. All these studies tend to justify the point that a group norm is the priority of the group as a whole.
According to Cartwright and Zander (1953) “The logic behind these studies is that a group norm is the priority of the group as a whole.” If one is to change this norm and thus, the behaviour of the individuals it can be best done by having the entire group participate in the decision to make the change.
Observations and experiences also show that only a person’s experience will not help substantially in the change of attitude. But, if the group itself changes its norms and values then it has very significant effect on the change of attitude of the person concerned.
These attitudes are maintained as long as the relationship to family members, friends and school mates are rewarding and satisfying. Such attitudes are changed when the relationship is no more satisfying. Parents can help a lot in changing one’s attitude. Newcomb’s famous Bennington study to be described here in detail.
Reason # 3. Internalization:
Persuasive communication delivered by reliable, prestigious and trustworthy persons or by persons who claim the confidence of the person whose attitude is going to be changed can change attitude. But the persuasion must fit in with the value system and produce genuine satisfaction.
Otherwise attitude cannot be changed. The Yale University Social Psychologists like Hovland, Janis and Kelleg (1953) have made some notable experimental research on the communicator, the message transmitted and recipient (audience or subject) in the attitude change process.
“These variables closely parallel the well known persuasion who says what to whom and with what effect”, says Mann. The yale group have done a lot of work on persuasion process.
Some of the notable findings of these studies are:
(1) The communicator is more likely to induce attitude change if his credibility is high.
(2) If the communicator advocates a great deal of attitude change he will be more successful up to a point than if he advocates a small amount of change.
(3) The way in which a persuasive communication is worded, organised and presented is an important determinant of its reception.
(4) If there are two sides of an issue, then a two sided communication in which both advantages and disadvantages are mentioned will be more effective than a one sided communication as it influence the audience against later’s counter propaganda.
(5) If there are two opposing viewpoints to be communicated, the more effective communication is the first one.
(6) If the issues are so complex that the audience is not likely to draw the desired conclusion, if the conclusion is drawn for them, the communication will be more effective.
(7) Emotional appeals that arouse aggression and fear are more effective with low-intelligence, ignorant people than with well informed people.
(8) Among an audience some people are more susceptible to persuasion than others. By and large, women are found to be more pursuable than men. Social isolates and people with low self esteem are also highly pursuable.
(9) Passive listening to or reading of the communication is not as effective as role playing. In other words, active participation in rehearsing and improving arguments in support of the desired attitude is des rable.
(10) People who experience success or receive approval of their role playing efforts or for the position they advocate in the role playing are more likely adopt the new attitude than those who are not rewarded.
The communicators can be successful in changing one’s attitude if his credibility is high i.e., if he gams the trust and respect of the person whose attitude is to be changed.
Further, the wording of the persuasive communication, its organization and presentation procedure are also important determinants of attitude change. The persuasion technique should be so planned that it should fit into the immediate perceptions of the audience.
Both aspects (the pros and cons) of the issue are mentioned and a conclusion is drawn for the audience when they are not able to draw a conclusion themselves. The communication will be work effective with low intelligent, ignorant people than with well informed intelligent and educated audience. I
t is also found that some people are more suggestive and hence, more prone to persuasion than others. Attitude change is easier in case of persons having low self esteem and social isolates.
Which medium of communication is most effective depends upon time and circumstance. We find that daily newspapers, Magazines, Radio or TV etc. attempt mostly indirectly to change one’s attitude.
The Bureau of Applied and Social Research of Columbia in a study on consistency of attitude found that short stories in eight representative magazines with national circulation perpetuate stereotypes of Anglo Saxon superiority with more consistency than other mass media.
The base of all these attempts is persuasion to change the existing attitude or to teach new ones. Those advertisements shown in the TV try to form favourable attitudes towards some new products like shampoos, washing soaps, detergents, or food products etc. by changing the favourable attitude of the viewers from the old ones. This is done with the hope that these attitudinal modifications will lead similar changes in behaviour.
The above three factors under social influence greatly help in the process of attitude change and it is evident how social interaction not only form attitude but also changes attitude, brings modifications in opinions, beliefs and ideas. These factors may function jointly to bring modifications in attitudes.
Direct Contact:
Direct contact and firsthand experience like working, living and playing together, joining youth clubs, NCC Boys Scout and Girl guide camps, youth festivals etc. help a lot in changing attitude towards different castes, creeds, classes, socio-economic groups, nations and nationalities.
Similarly, contacts between members of various groups is most likely to produce positive attitude change particularly when the contacts arc on a basis of equal social status. Besides, cooperative efforts required to perform a joint task and when the contact is of a sufficient period of time to produce satisfying experience for both the parties, attitudes change in the positive direction.