2. An attitude is an expression of favor or disfavor toward a person, place, thing, or
event (the attitude object). Prominent psychologist Gordon Allport once
described attitudes "the most distinctive and indispensable concept in
contemporary social psychology.". Attitude can be formed from a person's past
and present. Attitude is also measurable and changeable as well as influencing
the person's emotion and behavior.
3. “Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words.
Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep
your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep
your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your
values positive because your values become your destiny.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
4. Attitude
Attitude influences the behavior of the individuals. Attitude is a
usual way of doing things.
Successes and failures in life depend upon the attitude of the
individuals. If attitudes are positive, then human relations will
be positive. And positive human relations are necessary for a
successful life.
Attitude is a disposition to approach an idea, event, person, or
an object.
It is a tendency to act in one way or the other toward an
`attitude object' or something (i.e. idea, event, person, object,
food, color, and furniture, virtually everything.)
5. Types of Attitudes
Attitude is something that lies between emotions and thought processing.
Attitude may be positive or negative. If someone has good feelings about
something e.g. towards his/her work, or people, then it is positive
attitude otherwise it would be negative.
Positive attitude
The predisposition that results in desirable outcomes for individuals and
organizations can be described as positive attitude. Positive attitudes are
rewarded. It means the individual is encouraged to do the same thing in
future.
Negative attitude
The tendency of a person that results in an undesirable outcome for
individuals and organizations can be described as negative attitude.
Negative attitudes are punished in order to discourage the same action
in future.
6. Change in Attitude
Reward and punishment build up attitude. Attitude can be
changed, if we differentiate negative attitude from positive
attitude. Positive attitude can bring positive change in life.
It is difficult to change attitudes but with some effort, it can be
done. A positive attitude is a pre-requisite for change and
development. If anybody has negative attitude towards
`change', this attitude will extend to anything representing
change i.e. leaders, technology, meetings, or any process of
change.
7. Formation of Attitude
Individual attitudes develop through the interaction of complex
forces and are learnt.
And what is learnt can be unlearned or changed. We develop
our attitudes from copying those people who are important to
us (significant others), particularly parents and siblings.
Religious beliefs are good
8. Why concern for attitude
For any change (growth or development), positive attitude
towards change is critical. Without the positive attitude
towards change, development or growth is very difficult.
Positive attitude has the power to attract sudden good
fortune from the world around us. We can observe that
when under critical circumstances, if we adopt positive
attitude and stay calm, we can easily overcome the
problem, having no or less serious consequences.
9. How to change attitude
Negative attitudes towards change will disrupt the process of
change.
Information alone is not sufficient to change attitudes towards a
new idea or practice.
Don't fertilize the rocks. First, make people less resistant to
receiving and processing information. And then expect change
in their attitudes.
10. Cognitive approaches
Focus on changing the way people think about an
entity or object. This is done through information,
persuasive communication through introducing
conflict or dissonance between the existing attitude
and the new one.
11. Behavioral approaches
focus reward and punishments for certain attitudes
and behaviors.
It can be used at homes, schools or organizations
12. Social approaches
Focus on our tendency to copy the beliefs and
behaviors of others.
Role models shown on television and in the
neighborhoods are examples. People change their
residences, shift from old localities/Mohall's to
modern localities to learn new values and bring
change in their attitudes
13. Steps towards change in attitude
Attitudes of individuals towards life, family, ideas, political
thinking, religion or anything can be changed.
Following are the various steps for bringing change in
one's attitude that bring change in the behaviors.
Identify the object towards which change of attitude is
desired.
Introduce information about which individual agrees.
Introduce the new information that contradicts the
existing beliefs or attitudes.
Identify the ways through which belief or practice conform
to new information
14. Steps to turn attitude into action
Attitudes can be turned into positive actions by realizing certain
behaviors such as Understand the power of attitude.
Take control of yourself and your life.
Be aware about yourself and keep updated.
Identify and frame your bad and good attitudes.
Find purpose of your behavior and develop prudent passion
actions.
Be pro-active and pre-active.
Discover the ways to motivate yourself (motivators).
Build supportive relationships.
See change as an opportunity.
Leave a lasting legacy.
15. Characteristics of Attitudes
Following characteristics explain the nature of attitudes
The attitude object
Attitude are learned predisposition
Attitudes have consistency
Attitudes occur within a situation
16. Attitude Object
The word object in our consumer-oriented definition should be
interpreted broadly to include specific consumption or marketing
related concepts such as product, product category, brand, service,
possessions, product use, causes or issues, people or advertisements.
In conducting attitude research we tend to be object specific. For
example if we are interested in learning about three popularly priced
brands of watches our "object"
may include:
Seiko
Fossil
Casio
If we are examining attitudes towards major brands of computer
printers, our "object" of study may include HP,
Dell,
Brother,
Epson
17. Attitudes are learned predisposition
Consumer Psychology
There is general agreement that attitudes are learned. This
means attitudes relevant to purchase behavior are formed as a
result of direct experience with product, word of mouth,
information acquired from others, exposure to mass media
advertising, the internet and various forms of direct marketing.
It is important to remember that attitudes result from behavior
they are not synonymous to behavior, instead they reflect either
favorable or unfavorable evaluation of the attitude object.
18. Attitudes have consistency
Attitudes are relatively consistent with the behavior they reflect;
however, attitudes are not necessarily permanent.
Attitudes do change
19. Attitudes occur within a situation
Situation means events or circumstances that at a particular
point in time influence the relationship between attitude and
behavior. A specific situation may cause individuals to behave
in a way seemingly inconsistent with their behavior.
For example if Ali purchases a different brand of toothpaste
every time he runs low. Although his brand switching behavior
may seem to reflect a negative attitude or dissatisfaction with
the brands he tries, it actually may be influenced by a specific
situation which in this case is Ali's wish to economize.
20. Never, never, compare yourself with people. It points
out the good parts in the person and makes you feel bad.
Just think of all the good qualities you have too.
How to Build a Positive Attitude
21. Remind yourself most things are possible if you try hard
enough.
Set your goal and work to reach it
Set a goal to make friends. If you feel you don't have enough of
something in your life, such as friends, make a goal to get more
of it until you're satisfied. work to reach it.
Give everything a chance before you neglect or reject it. It
might give you something you're happy with in your life
22. Grooming. Appearance can affect you too if you feel
ugly. Stay natural. You should change hair styles,
clothing, and if you wear it, make up, but that's it. This
can help you feel great
Communicate needs. If someone makes you feel
negative, like a friend, tell whoever it is in a nice way
how you feel. Try to fix the problem
23. Stay upbeat. Don't let other people drag you down!! What
they say is ALWAYS their opinion.
Do what makes you happy and isn't harmful.
Smile! Always remember to keep that beautiful smile on
your face. Smiling is actually proven to keep you happier
when you are down and gloomy on a dreadful day. If you
are sad, smile! If you are happy, smile! It makes you a
happier person and gives other people a better impression
of you. As I always say, it is worse to forget a smile than
your purse or wallet.