AT TITUDE AND SOCIAL COGNITION | Class 12 Psychology Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 3 min read
AT TITUDE AND SOCIAL COGNITION – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of AT TITUDE AND SOCIAL COGNITION from Class 12 Psychology, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
Attitude Formation and Change
Attitudes are primarily learned through interactions and experiences rather than being innate. Several processes contribute to attitude formation: learning by association, learning through reward and punishment, modelling by observing others, learning through group or cultural norms, and exposure to information. For example, a student may develop a liking for a subject because of a positive association with the teacher, or a child may develop a negative attitude towards junk food after falling ill repeatedly. Reference groups, family, school environment, personal experiences, and media are significant factors influencing attitude formation. Personal experiences can sometimes cause dramatic attitude changes, such as the example of an army driver who, after a near-death experience, developed a strong positive attitude towards community upliftment. Media and the Internet play a powerful role in shaping attitudes by providing vast information, which can have both positive and negative effects. Attitudes can also change over time, especially those still in formative stages or opinions. Understanding the mechanisms of attitude change is important for fields like advertising, politics, and community leadership. Three major concepts explain attitude change: balance theory (Heider’s P-O-X model), cognitive dissonance (Festinger), and the two-step concept (S.M. Mohsin). Balance theory suggests attitudes change to restore logical consistency among relationships; cognitive dissonance theory posits that conflicting cognitions cause discomfort leading to attitude change; the two-step concept involves identification with a source followed by imitation of changed behaviour.
📊 Diagram: Box 6.2 describes the cognitive dissonance experiment where participants paid $1 or $20 to lie about a boring experiment showed different attitude changes. The $1 group experienced dissonance and changed their attitude to find the experiment interesting, while the $20 group did not.
🔗 Connection: Prepares for the next section 'Attitude Change' which details factors influencing how and why attitudes change.
Frequently asked questions
Define attitude. Discuss the components of an attitude.
Attitude is a psychological tendency expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor. It is a learned predisposition to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a given object. The components of an attitude are: 1. Cognitive Component: This involves beliefs, thoughts, and attributes that we associate with an object. 2. Affective Component: This involves feelings or emotions that something evokes. 3. Behavioral Component: This inv
Are attitudes learnt? Explain how?
Yes, attitudes are learnt. They are acquired through various ways such as: 1. Direct Experience: Personal experiences with people, objects, or situations can shape attitudes. 2. Social Learning: Observing others, especially role models like parents and peers, influences attitude formation. 3. Conditioning: Classical and operant conditioning can lead to the development of attitudes. 4. Media and Culture: Exposure to media messages and cultural norms also contribute to learning attitudes.
What are the factors that influence the formation of an attitude?
Several factors influence the formation of an attitude, including: 1. Personal Experiences: Direct interactions with the attitude object. 2. Social Factors: Influence of family, friends, and social groups. 3. Cultural Factors: Traditions, norms, and values of the society. 4. Media Influence: Information and messages received through media. 5. Learning: Through conditioning and observation. 6. Cognitive Processes: How individuals process information and interpret experiences.
Is behaviour always a reflection of one's attitude? Explain with a relevant example.
No, behaviour is not always a reflection of one's attitude. Sometimes, external factors such as social norms, situational constraints, or fear of consequences may prevent a person from acting according to their true attitude. For example, a person may have a positive attitude towards environmental conservation but may not always recycle due to lack of facilities or convenience.
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- SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.
- SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.
- SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.