The document discusses attitudes, defining them as learned evaluations or tendencies to respond positively or negatively to people, objects, or ideas. It notes attitudes can influence thoughts and behaviors. The three components of attitudes are described as cognitive (beliefs), affective (emotions), and behavioral (actions). Positive attitudes are said to help coping, optimism, and success, while negative attitudes spread negativity and undermine performance. Developing and maintaining a positive attitude is important.

1. Bs 101
Module IV
Jyotika

2. Definition
 “An attitude is a state of mind, a set of views or
thoughts regarding objects, ideas, events or
people”.
 “Attitudes are evaluations people make about
objects, ideas, events, or other people. Attitudes
can be positive or negative”.
 “An attitude is a dispositional readiness to
respond to certain situations persons or objects
in a consistent manner which has been learned or
has become ones typical mode of response”.

3.  Can be positive or negative
 May be reflected in behavior
 Learned
 Often difficult to change.
Attitudes strongly effect behavior so if attitudes
are hard to change why are they so important?
Importance of attitude
 Influence our thoughts
 Influence on behavior
 Indicate our adjustment.

4. Attitudes are important because they:
 strongly influence our social thoughts
◦ help to organize and evaluate stimuli (e.g.,
categorizing stimuli as positive or negative)
 presumably have a strong affect on behavior
◦ help to predict people‟s behavior in wide range of
contexts (e.g., voting, interpersonal relations)
• Indicate our adjustments
Attitudes help to indicate our
adjustments
4.5

5.  Attitude components.(A-B-C) components consist of
cognitive, behavioral, and affective components.
 The cognitive component (thought) is made up of the beliefs of an
individual about the object of an attitude, This represents our
thoughts, beliefs and ideas about something. Typically these come to
light in generalities or stereotypes, such as 'all teenagers are lazy,' or
the belief that all old people are senile.
 The behavioral component (conative) consists of a predisposition to
respond in a certain way to the object of the attitude such as 'we
better keep those lazy teenagers out of the library,', for example,
talking to an old person as if talking to a child.
 component (emotional) refers to emotions aroused by the object of
the attitude, This component deals with feelings or emotions that are
brought to the surface about something, such as fear or hate. Using
our above example, someone might have the attitude that they hate
teenagers because they are lazy, or always feeling sorry for an older
person.

6. 1. What is your affective reaction when you see a certain
car?
-- Feelings of excitement?
◦ Anger and resentment (e.g., if you are a US car
manufacturing employee and the car is foreign made)
2. What is your cognitive reaction?
◦ What beliefs do you hold about the car’s attributes?
◦ Perhaps you admire its hybrid engine that makes it one of
the most fuel efficient cars you can buy.
3. What is your behavioral reaction?
◦ Do you go to a dealership and test-drive the car and actually
buy one?

7.  Process of attitude formation – How are
attitudes formed?
 Attitudes are learnt through one‟s own
experiences and through interaction with
others. The process and conditions of
learning may be different resulting in varying
attitudes among people.
 Learning attitudes by association – liking for
particular subject because of a teacher.

8.  Learning attitudes by being rewarded or punished
–
 If an individual is praised for showing a particular
attitude, chances are high that she will develop
that attitude further. E.g. practising yoga and get
the honor of „miss good health‟ she may develop a
positive attitude for yoga.
 Learning attitudes by modelling (observing others)
 We sometimes learn the attitudes through
observing others being rewarded or punished for
expressing thoughts or behaviour. E.g children
may form respectful attitude towards elders by
observing their parents and are appreciated for it.

9.  Learning attitudes through group or cultural
norms – Very often we learn attitudes through
the norms of our group or culture. Norms are
unwritten rules about behaviour that everyone
should follow. These norms become the part of
our social cognition in the form of attitudes.
 Learning through exposure to information –
Many attitudes are learnt in a social context
but not necessarily in the physical presence
of others. Many negative and positive
attitudes are formed through various media.

15.  Positive attitude helps you cope more easily with
the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into
your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and
negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life,
it will bring constructive changes into your life,
and makes them happier, brighter and more
successful.
 With a positive attitude you see the bright side of
life, become optimistic, and expect the best to
happen. It is certainly a state of mind that is well
worth developing.

17.  A negative attitude is characterized by a
great disdain for everything. Someone who
constantly points out the negative in
everything.
 A negative attitude is contagious and
therefore avoiding people with one is the best
way of prevention. Once you have a negative
attitude, you will unlikely be able to recover
and self fulfilling prophecy takes a hold.

18.  Positive thinking.
 Constructive thinking.
 Creative thinking.
 Expectation of success.
 Optimism.
 Motivation to accomplish your goals.
 Being inspired.

19.  Negative emotions are fuelled by an underlying fear of the
unknown, a fear of the actions of others, and a need to
control them or stop them to avoid being harmed. Below is a
list ofsome common healthy vs. unhealthy emotions:
Positive Emotions
Healthy Unhealthy
Negative Emotions
Healthy Unhealthy
Self-Esteem
Love
Happiness
Interest
Desire
Serenity /
Calmness
Arrogance
Mania
Obsession
Addiction
Passivity
Sadness
Concern
Anger
Remorse
Awareness
Depression
Rage
Shame / Guilt
Paranoia
Irritation

20.  1. People Want to Help – A positive attitude makes
others want to help us. No one wants to get near the
person who is yelling and losing it at the first sign of
trouble. Yet, everyone wants to come to the aid of the
person who is smiling and keeping their head high
despite bad things happening.
 2. Avoids Wasting Time Complaining – Complaining
doesn‟t get anything done. Instead, we can put our
energy into the positive action of doing something to
improve the situation.
 3. Keeps Your Energy Level High – A positive attitude
can lift us up even in hard times. We can boost our
energy level by looking on the bright side of any
situation. No matter how bad things get, there
usually is something we can look positively at.

21.  4. Builds Teamwork – A positive attitude is contagious; it
brings people together. Others want to be around people who are
positive. Nothing brings a team together and builds relationships like
positive energy.
 5. Determines Your Confidence – As Henry Ford famously
said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t… you’re
right.” Our attitude determines our confidence and ultimately whether
or not we can succeed.
 6. Solves Problems Instead of Making Problems – Have
you ever disarmed a tough situation with a smile? (Try it the next
time you are stuck at the airport.) Positive attitude is sometimes all it
takes to turn a bad situation around. On the other side, a bad attitude
can take a problem and quickly make it worse.
 7. Helps You Make Good Decisions – Anger clouds our
judgement. When we let ourselves get upset, we impact our ability
to make good decisions. If we let our positive attitude clear our mind,
we can take appropriate action instead of reacting to emotion.

22.  Choose to be happy.
 Look at the bright side of life.
 Choose to be and stay optimistic.
 Find reasons to smile more often.
 Have faith in yourself and in the Power of the Universe.
 Contemplate upon the futility of negative thinking and
worries.
.

23.  Associate yourself with happy people.
Read inspiring stories.
Read inspiring quotes.
 Repeat affirmations that inspire and
motivate you.
 Visualize only what you want to happen.
Learn to master your thoughts.
 Learn concentration and meditation

24.  Smile easily
 Willing to change ideas and
behavior
 Can see another person‟s
point of view
 Rarely complains
 Accepts responsibility for
mistakes
 Seldom criticizes others
 Is considerate of others
 Look others people in eyes
when talking with them
 Respects other opinion of
others
 Never make excuse
 Has a variety of interests
 Rarely smiles
 Unwilling to change
 Can‟t see another person‟s
point of view
 Blames others for own
mistakes
 Very critical of others
 Thinks only of self
 Does not look other people
in the eyes
 Forces own opinions on
others
 Often makes excuses
 Has few interests