What is Attitude
What is attitude, Definition of attitude, Components of attitude
Neha Pathak
What is Attitudes
Introduction
Attitudes are our personal ways of thinking or feeling about something or someone. They are like internal evaluations that help us decide if we like or dislike something. For example, saying “I like Ram” shows a positive attitude toward that person. In simple words, an attitude is a mental tendency that influences how we act or react to things around us.
What Are Attitudes?
Attitudes are shaped by our experiences, values, and thoughts. They can be positive or negative and affect our decisions and behavior. According to psychologist Schermerhorn and his team, attitude is simply how we are mentally prepared to respond to things—either in a good or bad way. Attitude refers to a person’s mental state, feelings, or mindset toward someone or something, typically reflected in their behavior. It represents a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor.
Definition of Attitude (In Organizational Behavior Context):
Attitude is a learned predisposition to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner toward a given object, person, or situation.
Key Definitions
- G.W. Allport: Attitude is a mental state formed through experience, influencing how we respond to people and situations.
- Katz and Scotland: It’s a tendency to judge something or its symbol in a particular way.
Main Components of Attitudes
1. Cognitive (Thinking) Component
This is about what you believe or think. For example, if you read that a company treats employees well and pays good salaries, you start to believe it’s a great place to work.
2. Affective (Feeling) Component
This part deals with how you feel—whether you like or dislike something. If you enjoy working with a team, you’ll feel positive about team projects.
3. Behavioral (Action) Component
This is about how you tend to act based on your attitude. If you believe a company is great and you like it, you might apply for a job there. Your actions reflect your attitude.
Key Features of Attitudes
Understanding attitudes is crucial when studying human behavior, especially in social or organizational settings. Here are some of the most important features of attitudes, explained in a simple and clear way, just like how a teacher would explain to students in a classroom:
1. Attitudes Influence Our Actions
People generally like to be consistent in their thinking and actions. So, if someone holds a certain belief, they are more likely to act in ways that match that belief—unless something forces them to behave differently.
2. Attitudes Can't Be Seen Directly
Attitudes are part of our mental world, which means they are not visible. But we can still guess what someone’s attitude is by looking at how they behave.
3. Attitudes Are Learned Over Time
We aren’t born with attitudes. We slowly develop them as we grow up—starting from our childhood and continuing through life, based on our experiences and what we learn from others.
4. Attitudes Are Everywhere
Since attitudes are shaped by our social life, they can relate to almost anything—like religion, politics, school, family, or even food! That’s why they affect so many parts of our behavior.
5. Attitudes Help Us Judge Things
Attitudes often express whether we like or dislike something. For example, if someone says they love nature, it shows a positive attitude toward the environment.
6. Attitudes Can Be Hidden
Sometimes, we hold certain attitudes without even realizing it. These are called unconscious attitudes. We might not be fully aware of them, but they can still influence our actions
