In the recent years, extensive research has been going on to investigate attitudes and social cognition. From a psychological perspective, these two aspects are of paramount significance to humans because they explain how individuals view the world and life events. It is apparent that individuals possess diverse opinions over different issues, and they express their attitudes on day-to-day life. Ideally, attitudes exhibit behavioral, cognitive and affective elements; thus attitudes determine the way people make choices, as well as determining the way people live. However, the ways attitudes are formed vary significantly so their expressions are relatively divergent. In theory, attitudes exist in two distinct forms: explicit attitudes and implicit attitudes. Therefore, it is logical to understand how these two levels of attitudes are formed.
It is apparent that these attitudes have been investigated to design appropriate measures, although implicit attitudes seem to have attracted immense focus in the recent years. Explicit attitudes occur at the conscious level; thus they exert intense effects on decisions and behavior. This is why they can be described as deliberately formed attitudes, and they are characterized by the ease in self-reporting. On the other hand, implicit attitudes occur at an unconscious level. These attitudes are formed involuntarily because they lack conscious access; thus their formation cannot be controlled. However, it is worth noting that implicit attitudes have a significant influence on behavior and decisions.
Despite the extensive research on attitudes, processes that guide the formation and operation of both explicit and implicit attitudes have not yet been unraveled. Therefore, this essay will provide an overview of explicit and implicit attitudes. It will compare and contrast explicit and implicit attitudes, and explain reasons for their weak correlation.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Dimensions of attitudes
3. Comparison of explicit and implicit attitudes
4. Reasoning systems and attitude formation
5. Correlation between explicit and implicit measures
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this work is to provide a comprehensive overview and comparison of explicit and implicit attitudes, specifically investigating the underlying psychological mechanisms that lead to their observed weak correlation.
- Analysis of the fundamental differences between conscious (explicit) and unconscious (implicit) attitudes.
- Examination of the two distinct reasoning systems: fast-learning and slow-learning.
- Exploration of the "structural fit" hypothesis regarding measurement methods.
- Evaluation of how cognitive systems influence human behavior and decision-making.
Excerpt from the Book
Reasoning Systems and Attitude Formation
This variation can be explained by the manner in which cognitive systems influence behavior, language and thinking. This is why Sloman (1996) proposed two different reasoning systems to explain how explicit and implicit processes occur. He proposed that slow-learning and fast-learning systems operate differently depending on the involved cognitive processes. For instance, the fast-learning system which is a characteristic of explicit attitudes operates at high level of cognition to enhance symbolic representations, verbal and logical aspects of reasoning. As such, the fast-learning system relies on conscious control. This is why explicit attitudes are described as controllable.
On the other hand, the other reasoning system which is associated to implicit attitudes, the slow-learning system, is characterized by paired associations. This associative aspect has been reported to rely on contiguity and similarity. Ordinarily, implicit attitudes form from associations in the memory based on a slow acquisition of information in the learning process. Therefore, these reasoning systems define why explicit attitudes are described as intended, whereas implicit attitudes are considered to be unintended. The aspect of intention which is associated with explicit attitudes can be explained by the nature of the fast-learning system. This system accounts for the observed deliberate and flexible response to abstract information. In contrast, implicit attitudes which are associated to the slow-learning system forms in an automatic process. This is so because the slow-learning system is relatively non-flexible due to its dependence on paired associations. As a result, it is apparent that implicit attitudes are associative in nature, whereas explicit attitudes are based on logic, language and abstractions in a more flexible manner (Smith & DeCoster, 2000).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Provides an overview of attitudes and social cognition, defining the two distinct forms: explicit and implicit attitudes.
2. Dimensions of attitudes: Discusses the theoretical characteristics of attitudes, specifically strength, ambivalence, and accessibility.
3. Comparison of explicit and implicit attitudes: Highlights the differences in controllability and how explicit attitudes are altered via cognitive changes.
4. Reasoning systems and attitude formation: Explains the roles of fast-learning and slow-learning systems in shaping different types of attitudes.
5. Correlation between explicit and implicit measures: Analyzes why test measures often show weak correlation, referencing the "structural fit" hypothesis.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the key distinctions, reiterating that explicit attitudes are intentional and conscious, while implicit ones are associative and involuntary.
Keywords
Explicit attitudes, Implicit attitudes, Social cognition, Fast-learning system, Slow-learning system, Behavioral influence, Cognitive processes, Attitude measurement, Associative reasoning, Structural fit, Controllability, Unconscious level, Psychological research, Intention, Dual-process models.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines the psychological nature of explicit and implicit attitudes, exploring how they differ in formation, operation, and influence on human behavior.
What are the central thematic fields?
The themes include cognitive psychology, dual-process models of reasoning, attitude measurement techniques, and the factors contributing to the dissociation between conscious and unconscious attitudes.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to provide a comparative analysis of explicit and implicit attitudes and to explain the reasons behind the frequently observed weak correlation between their respective measurement tools.
Which scientific methods are discussed?
The text reviews various theoretical models and empirical research, focusing on rule-based reasoning, associative learning, and structural analysis of attitude assessment instruments.
What does the main body cover?
It covers dimensions like strength and accessibility, the dual reasoning systems (fast vs. slow learning), and theoretical explanations for why these attitudes exhibit different structural behaviors.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include implicit attitudes, explicit attitudes, dual-process models, conscious control, associative memory, and structural fit.
How does the fast-learning system influence behavior?
The fast-learning system supports explicit attitudes by enabling flexible, logical, and symbolic processing, which allows individuals to exercise conscious control over their responses.
Why is there a weak correlation between implicit and explicit measures?
The correlation is weak primarily because the measures differ in structure—explicit measures rely on direct questionnaires, while implicit measures often capture unintended associations through indirect methods.
- Quote paper
- Patrick Kimuyu (Author), 2018, Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Define Human Behavior, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/421405
