An attitude is described as an expression of favor or disfavor towards people, places, things, or events. It contains three components - cognitive, affective, and behavioral. However, some views see the cognitive and behavioral components as derivatives of underlying affect or beliefs. Attitudes can be positive or negative. Positive attitudes promote optimism while negative attitudes promote pessimism and are more difficult to overcome. Both attitudes are influenced by values, family, culture, religion, and social interactions.