What is Attitude?
- Attitude is subjective individual interpretation of objective outside world.
- This “objective outside world” includes people,things,events,issues etc.
- For example,consider a half-full glass.A person’s attitude determines whether it is half-full or half-empty.
- Attitude can be negative or positive or a mix of positivity and negativity in various degrees.
- A positive attitude yields favourable behaviour and a negative attitude yields unfavourable behaviour.
Explicit and Implicit Attitudes
- Attitudes are classified as explicit and implicit. If a person is aware of his attitudes, and they influence his behaviour and beliefs, his attitudes are explicit.Explicit attitudes are formed consciously.
- Eg:A person states that he/she loves reading and spends their free time immersed in books.
- A person may be unaware of his implicit beliefs though these still have some influence on his conduct and behaviour. Implicit attitudes are subconscious attitudes.
- Eg:Some people might not talk about their belief in God, but their regular visits to the temple and participation in temple-related activities could suggest an implicit attitude of reverence or respect towards the divine.
Quotes
- “Your attitude, Not Your Aptitude, Will Determine Your Altitude.”– Zig Ziglar.
- “A positive attitude is a person’s passport to a better tomorrow.”—Jeff Keller.
- “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference”—-Winston Churchill
Importance of Positive Attitude
- Positive gain for Positive Attitude : A positive attitude can help you achieve success in your personal and professional life.Eg: A person with a positive attitude might see a challenge at work as an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Shape our thoughts and actions: Your attitude determines how you react to adversity, your ability to grow and learn, and your ability to overcome challenges.Eg:In a difficult situation, a person with a positive attitude might look for a solution without worrying about it.
- Motivation: A positive attitude can inspire you to pursue your goals and dreams.Eg: A positive attitude towards civil service motivates aspirants to give multiple attempts.
- Self confidence: When you have a positive attitude, you tend to have more self-confidence.Eg: If we have a positive attitude towards our looks,then it will boost our self confidence.
- Saves time/energy: A positive attitude allows you to deal with situations more effectively, saving you time and energy.Eg: A positive attitude person will be calm and will easily find a solution in a predicament.
- Reflects Personality: Your attitude can be a reflection of your personality.Eg: Someone who is always cheerful and optimistic might be seen as having a positive personality.
- Affects health: Our outlook can greatly impact your health.Eg:A person with a negative attitude will be always in tension and this might cause severe health problems.
Structure of Attitude
The ABC Model of Attitudes, also known as the tri-component model, is a framework in psychology that describes 3 components of attitudes.
- Affective component: This involves a person’s feelings/emotions about the attitude object.
- Eg: A person might feel joy seeing a dog because he/she loves animals.
- Behavioural component: It refers to a tendency or a predisposition to act in a certain manner.
- Eg:If someone has a negative attitude towards junk food, they might avoid eating at fast food restaurants.
- Cognitive component:It involves a person’s belief/knowledge about an attitude object.
- Eg:A person believes that exercise is beneficial for health, leading to a positive attitude towards regular physical activity.
- These three components collectively form an individual’s attitude toward an object, person, issue, or situation.
- Attitudes are complex and these components often interact with each other. For example, our beliefs (cognitive) can influence our feelings (affective), which in turn can influence our actions (behavioural).
Functions of Attitude
According to Daniel Katz’s theory, attitudes serve four main functions.
- Knowledge Function: Attitude provides a framework for understanding the world, making it more predictable and manageable. They help us organize our thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions, facilitating the processing and storage of information.
- Eg: if a person holds an attitude that eating healthy is important, it helps them organize their behaviors and decisions related to food and health.
- Value-Expressive Function: Attitudes serve as a way for individuals to express their core values and identity. They enable the expression of the person’s centrally held values.
- Eg:An individual who values environmental sustainability expresses a positive attitude toward recycling.
- Adaptive Function: Attitudes can help an individual fit in and be accepted by a social group. They often help people to adjust to their work environment.
- Eg:A person develops a positive attitude towards a political viewpoint because it aligns with the views of their friends and family.
- Ego-Defensive Function: Attitudes act as defense mechanisms, protecting the individual’s self-esteem or justifying actions that might be socially unacceptable. They refer to holding attitudes that protect our self-esteem or that justify actions that make us feel guilty.
- Eg:A student who is afraid of failing an exam might develop a negative attitude towards the education system, criticizing it as flawed or unfair.
Factors that contribute to a positive attitude in a person
- Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others can enhance positivity. Eg: A nurse comforting a patient in distress.The nurse’s understanding and compassion for the patient’s situation fosters a positive environment
- Resilience:It incorporates the ability to bounce back from difficulties, take a positive approach to change, and to persevere and cope with pressure effectively.Eg:A student failing an exam but studying harder for the next one.Here,the student’s determination to do better next time reflects a positive attitude.
- Gratitude: Being thankful for what you have can help foster positivity. Eg: A person expressing thanks for a meal he/she is about to eat.Appreciating what we have cultivates a positive outlook.
- Optimism: Looking at the bright side of situations can lead to a positive attitude. Eg: An athlete training for a competition, believing he/she can win.Here,the athlete’s belief in his/her potential for success instills positivity.
Reference
- https://www.simplypsychology.org/functions-of-attitude-theory.html
- https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/why-attitude-is-important
- Lexicon
- Ethics,Integrity and Aptitude by DK Balaji,IAS
Previous Year Question
A positive attitude is considered to be an essential characteristic of a civil servant who is often required to function under extreme stress. What contributes to a positive attitude in a person? (2020)