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Forming attitudes that predict future behavior: a meta-analysis of the attitude-behavior relation
Laura R Glasman1, Dolores Albarracín
1Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. lglasman@mcw.edu
Psychological Bulletin
|August 17, 2006
Summary
Attitudes guide behavior more strongly when they are accessible and stable. Direct experience and frequent reporting increase attitude accessibility, while confidence and one-sided information enhance stability, boosting the attitude-behavior link.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Attitude Formation
Background:
- Understanding the attitude-behavior link is crucial in social psychology.
- Factors influencing attitude strength and stability require further investigation.
- Previous research suggests attitude accessibility and stability are key mediators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To meta-analytically examine factors influencing attitude accessibility and stability.
- To determine how these factors affect the attitude-behavior relationship.
- To synthesize findings across diverse conditions and participant samples.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a meta-analysis of 128 conditions with 4,598 participants.
- Analyzed the correlation between attitude characteristics and subsequent behavior.
- Investigated moderators such as direct experience, attitude reporting frequency, confidence, information type, and information sidedness.
Main Results:
- Attitudes predicted future behavior more strongly when they were accessible and stable.
- Direct experience and frequent attitude reporting enhanced accessibility.
- Attitude confidence and one-sided information increased stability, strengthening the attitude-behavior association.
Conclusions:
- Attitude accessibility and stability are critical determinants of attitude-behavior consistency.
- Interventions aimed at increasing attitude accessibility and stability can enhance behavioral prediction.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering attitude formation processes in applied settings.
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