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Attitude prototypes as determinants of attitude-behavior consistency
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|June 1, 1984
Summary
Attitudes toward social groups predict behavior toward members when individuals perceive a strong match to the group prototype. Mismatched members are dismissed, preserving the prototype for future social behavior.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Attitude-Behavior Consistency
Background:
- Understanding attitude-behavior consistency is crucial in social psychology.
- Individuals' attitudes toward social groups may be based on imagined representatives embodying central characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate when an individual's attitude toward a social group predicts their behavior toward a specific group member.
- To test the hypothesis that attitude-behavior consistency depends on the perceived match between a group member and the "attitude prototype".
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted to test the relationship between attitudes and behavior.
- Participants' reactions to prototypical and unprototypical group members were assessed.
Main Results:
- Attitude-behavior relationships were stronger for prototypical group members compared to unprototypical ones.
- Information about unprototypical members had minimal impact on attitude prototypes, as they were deemed atypical.
Conclusions:
- The "attitude prototype" significantly influences social behavior, especially when encountering members who align with it.
- Unprototypical members are often disregarded, maintaining the integrity of the prototype for future social interactions and attitude change.