Question

An attitude towards recycling and reuse needs to be encouraged to conserve the environment. Examine the factors that will influence attitude change towards this.

Answer 1

Factors that influence Attitude Change:

Characteristics of the existing attitude: All four properties of attitudes mentioned earlier, namely, valence (positivity or negativity), extremeness, simplicity or complexity (multiplexity), and centrality or significance of the attitude, determine attitude change. In general, positive attitudes are easier to change than negative attitudes. Extreme attitudes and central attitudes are more difficult to change than the less extreme, and peripheral (less significant) attitudes are. Simple attitudes are easier to change than multiple attitudes are. In addition, one must also consider the direction and extent of attitude change. An attitude change may be congruent - it may change in the same direction as the existing attitude (for example, a positive attitude may become more positive, or a negative attitude may become more negative).

Source characteristics: Source credibility and attractiveness are two features that affect attitude change. Attitudes are more likely to change when the message comes from a highly credible source rather than from a low-credible source. For example, adults who are planning to buy a laptop are more convinced by a computer engineer who points out the special features of a particular brand of laptop, than they would be by a schoolchild who might give the same information. But, if the buyers are themselves, schoolchildren, they may be convinced more by another schoolchild advertising a laptop than they would be by a professional giving the same information. In the case of some products such as cars, sales may increase if they are publicised, not necessarily by experts, but by popular public figures.

Message characteristics: The message is the information that is presented in order to bring about an attitude change. Attitudes will change when the amount of information that is given about the topic is just enough, neither too much nor too little. Whether the message contains a rational or an emotional appeal, also makes a difference.

Target characteristics: Qualities of the target, such as persuasibility, strong prejudices, self-esteem, and intelligence influence the likelihood and extent of attitude change. People, who have a more open and flexible personality, change more easily. Advertisers benefit most from such people. People with strong prejudices are less prone to any attitude change than those who do not hold strong prejudices. Persons who have low self-esteem, and do not have sufficient confidence in themselves, change their attitudes more easily than those who are high self-esteem. More intelligent people may change their attitudes less easily than those with lower intelligence. However, sometimes more intelligent persons change their attitudes more willingly than less intelligent ones, because they base their attitudes on more information and thinking.