The attitude is manifested through a series of observable responses, which have been grouped into three major categories: cognitive, affective and conative-behavioral. Fishbein and Ajzen replicate Wicker’s approaches: A correlation between attitude and behavior can only be properly calculated when both coincide in the elements that are selected for consideration. (It is not logical to measure attitude toward one object and expect it to predict behavior toward a different object.) Initially they identified two of these elements as objective and action.
Relationship between attitude and behavior
Attitude is related to behavior. Attitude: Psychological state that guides action towards an object through its evaluation. There are articles that have questioned this connection between attitude and behavior:
- LaPiere, in “Attitudes Versus Actions.” Kraus points out the serious mistakes committed in the performance of their work, which completely invalidate their conclusions. However, he is still cited today.
- More recently: Wicker: The correlations between attitude and behavior do not exceed the value 0
As a consequence of LaPiere and Wicker, a reaction from Social Psychology occurred in the 70s, in order to demonstrate that there is a connection between attitude and behavior. Two major research developments:
- The “MODE model”.
- The theory of reasoned and planned action.
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