This document discusses different theories of attitudes. It defines an attitude as an evaluative statement indicating one's feelings toward people, objects, events, or situations. It then outlines three major attitude theories: balance theory, which involves how a person relates to others and objects; congruity theory, which is based on how consistently a person holds attitudes; and cognitive dissonance theory, which examines the link between attitudes and behaviors and proposes that people seek to reduce inconsistencies between their actions and beliefs.

1. ATTITUDE
THEORIES
R.Sam Vivek
1st MBA
WSM

2. ATTITUDE :
 Attitudes are evaluative statements indicating
one’s feeling either favorably or unfavorably
towards persons , objects , events or situations
 Attitude is very complex cognitive process just
like personality of an individual.

3. ATTITUDE THEORIES :
Balance Theory
Congruity theory
Cognitive dissonance theory

4. Balance Theory (Fritz Heider 1958) :
 The “granddaddy” of all consistency
theories
 The most basic, simple model
 Involves three cognitive elements, P,O,X:
P: Person (perceiver, self)
O: Other person
X: Attitude object (thing, event, action)

5. Congruity Theory (Osgood, Tannenbaum, & Suci,
1957)
 The theory is based upon the “semantic
differential” scale
 Congruity exists when a person holds identical
attitudes toward a source and a topic or issue.
When two or more attitudes are linked by an
assertion there is a tendency for both attitudes
to change

6. Cognitive Dissonance Theory(
Leon Festinger )
 This theory sought to explain the linkage
between attitudes and behavior.
 Leon Festinger recognized this issue
and formulated the theory of Cognitive
Dissonance based on the fact that humans
are sensitive to inconsistencies between
action and belief.

7. Thanq…