Attitudes are relatively enduring organizations of beliefs, feelings, and behaviors towards objects, groups, events or symbols. They can be described using the ABC model, which outlines the affective (feelings), behavioral (actions), and cognitive (beliefs) components. A key assumption is that attitudes and behaviors are consistent, though people do not always follow this. Attitude strength - how important and knowledgeable one is about the attitude object - predicts behavior, with stronger attitudes more likely to influence actions. Finally, attitudes serve four functions: providing knowledge and predictability; ego-expression of one's identity; allowing social adaptation; and ego-defense of one's self-esteem.