Attitudes: Formation, Change, and Cognitive Dissonance

(1) Bringing cognitive dissonance to the classroom. Teaching of Psychology vol 20, 1

Modality: Face-to-face
Goal(s): Demonstrate cognitive dissonance and inconsistence between attitudes and behavior.
Description: Ask student to complete the following “attitude” survey by answering YES or NO to each of the following questions:

World hunger is a serious problem that needs attention.
Our country needs to address the growing number of homeless.
The right to vote is one of the most valuable rights of American citizens.
Our government should spend less money on nuclear weapons and more on helping citizens better their lives.

Next, ask students turn their papers over and answer the following questions with a YES or NO response.

Do you personally do anything to lessen world hunger (e.g., donate money or food or write your representative)
Do you personally do anything to help the homeless (e.g., volunteer at a homeless shelter or donate money)?
Did you vote in the last election for which you were eligible?
Do you personally convey your feelings to the government (e.g., by writing your representative or by participating in protests/marches)?

(2) Understanding how implicit associations can influence attitudes via the IAT

Modality: Hybrid
Goal(s): Help students understand implicit associations and their relationship to attitudes. Help students understand research methodology using technology.
Description: Visit the following website:https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/ and then discuss the implications of IAT research. Because of some controversy surrounding this methodology, this can also be used in this science and research module. The following assignment can be associated with this demonstration:

Click demonstration on IAT page
Read the "IAT Home" Page
Click Go to the
Demonstration Tests
Read the "Measure Your Attitudes" page
Click I wish to proceed
Choose any one of the IAT
tests; if you're unsure which to choose, choose the Race IAT (but feel free to select any of them)
Complete the IAT training and task as directed on the web page
Complete the writing assignment

In 500 words (or more), write about:

How does the IAT connect to the material in the text? (relating to Cognitive Schemas and Stereotypes.)
What did you think about the results of the IAT test: do you believe them? Do the results mimic your own experience (either 'in your head' or your behavior)?
Is it important to measure stereotypes via implicit associations (as opposed to explicit attitudes)?

(3) Bias, Prejudice and Attitudes

Modality: Face-to-face or online
Goal(s): To help students think critically about attitudes, bias and prejudice, and to have self-application.
Description: see below

Part 1: First, read this article: http://www.tolerance.org/activity/test-yourself-hidden-bias

Part 2: Then, watch this short video: Hidden Motives Part 2- Hidden prejudice http://www.pbs.org/saf/1507/video/watchonline.htm

Part 3: Write or discuss information about the following:

What connections can you make to the article and video?
What connections can you make to the textbook?
What does it teach you about attitudes, biases and stereotypes?

(4) Dermonstrating Attitude Formation through the Mere Exposure Effect.

Modaility: Online with Face-to-face or online discussion
Goal(s): To help students understand attitude formation via one of several social psychological mechanisms
Description:Navigate to the following webpage and follow the directions as instructed on the screen: http://http-server.carleton.ca/~warrent/2100/exposure%20effect.html

(1) Source: Grant Corser [Modified from Carkenord, D.M. & Bullington, J. (1993)]

(2) Source: Scott Bates, Grant Corser, and Nick Marsing

(3) Source: Karen Kwan

(4) Source: Grant Corser (http://http-server.carleton.ca/~warrent/2100/exposure%20effect.html)

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