1. Attitudes
1. Attitudes
What exactly is an attitude? In basic terms, an attitude is a learned
disposition to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a person, an object, an idea, or an event. Attitudes come in different forms. You are very likely to see an attitude present itself when someone says that they are “pro” or “anti” something. But, above all else, attitudes are learned and not necessarily enduring. Attitudes can change, and sometimes do, whereas beliefs and values do not shift as easily. Let’s examine a sample list of attitudes below:
| Pro-war Anti-affirmative action Pro-choice Pro-business Anti-discrimination |
Anti-war Anti-slavery Pro-gaming Anti-government Pro-capital punishment |
Pro-diversity Pro-life Anti-gambling Anti-drugs Anti-capital punishment |
These are just a small range of issues that one can either be “for” or
“against.” And, while we are simplifying the social scientific idea of an attitude considerably here, these examples serve our purposes well. Remember, attitudes are not as durable as beliefs and values. But, they are good indicators of how people view the persons, objects, ideas, or events that shape their world.
