Psych
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UnitLesson.docxUnit Lesson
Consider the following scenario: You are walking down a hallway at work, and you see a small group of co-workers in what appears to be a serious conversation. As you near the group, you notice that they quickly cease talking, nod, say hello as you pass, and resume talking quietly the moment you are out of earshot. What is your initial thought of what is going on? How long would you consider this incident? Would you consider all of the different scenarios that could have been happening? What other explanations could you could consider in this instance?
At this point, you are convinced that the group was discussing your performance within the project and was discussing the overall success of the project. Now, consider that one of those people has approached you about the situation. This person wants to explain that he or she was not talking about you but was talking about the project. What do you think would transpire in this conversation? You may tell the person that it was okay, that you did not think the group was talking about you; however, could you be swayed? What could change your mind that the group was not talking about your performance? Is it possible that anything could change your mind?
Now, consider another scenario. You are a part of the group that is talking in the hallway. You are talking about the stress related to the new project that you are all working on. Another coworker, who incidentally has been doing very well with his or her part of the project, walks by. Everyone in your group gets quiet. The person walking by gives a weird look to all of you but continues walking. What are you thinking in that moment? Are you wondering what that person could be thinking about the situation? Does it cross your mind that they may go to someone else about the incident? You decide that you should address the situation with the other person. You try very hard to reiterate that your group was simply discussing how stressful the entire project has been.
In each of these scenarios, a person is in a situation in which he or she is likely to experience a cognitive reaction to the situation. How strongly the person believes in what he or she has decided happened could determine whether the situation is resolved. In Chapter 5, Maio & Haddock (2015) go in-depth about many of the theories that exist to study the role of cognition in attitude change. How do we take the theory and apply it to our own situations and situations that may be going on around us? Can we change our attitudes?
The Role of Beliefs in Attitude Change
Maio & Haddock (2015) discuss that attitudes and beliefs have a very close connection. In fact, the authors explicitly discuss that beliefs could be more important than any factor when discussing attitude and attitude change. It is likely that you have strongly held beliefs about something. It is even possible to have strongly held beliefs about a subject and not even realize that you are holding those beliefs. Take a moment to consider a belief that is particularly important to you. Perhaps it is in the realm of religion, politics, medical care, or even family processes.
Now, consider you are deep in a conversation with another person who directly opposes your belief or beliefs. You are presenting sound, detailed arguments as to why that person could, or should, change his or her attitude or belief. This person refuses to change his or her viewpoint no matter what you say. Have you been in a situation like this before? What types of things do you think when you have a conversation like this? What feelings do conversations such as this elicit for you?
Take a moment and reverse the situation. You are on the receiving end of a conversation where another person tries to persuade you to change your attitudes or views. This person makes sound arguments as to why you should change your views based on the information he or she has provided. How likely are you to change your views? What should you consider?
After reading the history of this situation, consider the position of both the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the United States. Leadership in both countries believed that their national security and the safety of their borders were being threatened. Heightened tension and the strong belief systems that had been prevalent since World War II also likely affected how not only the leaders of these countries reacted to the situation but also how the population reacted. Consider for a moment the position of the leaders of the USSR and their belief that President Kennedy would simply accept the presence of missiles in Cuba. How did these beliefs affect their decision-making? Considering the information that you read, do you think it would have been possible to change the attitude of Khrushchev in his belief that President Kennedy was weak? How did the strength of Khrushchev’s belief influence the overall outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Maio & Haddock (2015) again discuss the importance of valence. Remember that valence means the strength of the attitude or, in this case, the belief. Many of the theoretical arguments that have been discussed in the reading show the effect that belief valence can have. Is there a topic that you feel very strongly about? Consider this topic and any conversations that you have had with others. Has anyone ever been successful in helping to change your opinion? Now, consider information you have learned in this course so far. How has this information affected how you will approach conversations that cover topics about which you have very strong beliefs? Has what you have learned affected how you approach others who hold very strong beliefs about a topic? What changes to your approach would you make? What theory discussed by Maio & Haddock (2015) do you relate to the most?
Meta-Cognitions
Within this unit, the topic of meta-cognitions was introduced. Maio & Haddock (2015) explained the concept of meta-cognitions. How do these types of thoughts affect our attitude and how our attitudes may change? Meta- cognition seems like a fancy word for how we think about our own thoughts. We can all imagine when we have had moments when we analyze our own thoughts. When is this process most likely to take place for you? Does it take place when you are considering a new idea or viewpoint? Do you ever feel like you are wrestling with your own thoughts, and, in turn, your own views? Have you ever discovered that you were sure of a belief or an attitude but when faced with new information, questioned yourself? Sometimes, these types of thought-wrestling moments prove to be stressful.
Again, consider the situation in the Cuban Missile Crisis. As we consider all of the different things that were going on during this time in history, how might pieces of new information have influenced the thought processes of Kennedy and Khrushchev? For example, as Kennedy was considering the options of how to respond, his Joint Chiefs of Staff concluded that a full-scale attack was the only response. Kennedy, however, disagreed. How would meta-cognitions have influenced Kennedy’s final decisions? What types of cognitions would likely have occurred? Would new pieces of information have influenced the views of the Joint Chiefs?
According to the meta-cognitive model, these cognitions are likely to occur when we hear new or added information to a concept we already have an attitude about (Maio & Haddock, 2015). Think about a concept that you have a strong belief about. Perhaps that concept is within the area of politics or maybe even in the area of music. Consider what would happen if you hear something negative that may affect how you view that subject. The new information is from a trusted source and backed up by evidence. How would you react to the new information?
References
Lachmann-Anke, P., & Lachmann-Anke, M. (n.d.). White male 3d man isolated 3d model 3d model [Image]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/white-male-3d-man-isolated-3d-1871379/
Maio, G. R., & Haddock, G. (2015). The psychology of attitudes and attitude change (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
