Attitudes and Actions
Attitude: what is it and why does it affect our behavior? When someone says, "You have a bad attitude!" what do they mean? Is it behavior that is externalizing an attitude, or is it the attitude that is presenting a certain behavior? Can changing your attitude change your behavior? These are questions answered throughout this essay. Behavior is affected by attitudes as well as by external social influences. This essay will discuss the three circumstances in which attitudes affect our behavior. We will discuss how attitudes are affected by outside influences, are specifically relevant to behavior, and when conscious of attitudes, we can change our behavior. Attitudes are beliefs and feelings that predispose our reactions to objects, people, and events; if we believe something, we can make it happen. Attitudes, as beliefs, guide our actions accordingly. "Change the way people think," said South African civil rights martyr Steve Biko, "and things will never be the same." Although it is usually assumed that if you can change someone's attitude, you can cha
Finally, it has been shown that our attitudes lie still if we follow habits or social pressures. In another study, Russell Fazio (1990) noted that attitudes that do come more quickly to mind are also the ones most likely to guide our behavior. Overall, internal attitudes and external influences have an affect on our behavior. Outside influences are having a small effect on his or her personal attitudes and actions. It has also been demonstrated that people often have attitudes about something, but acted the opposite way, as with Jesse Jackson and Rosie O'Donnell whose actions contradict their messages. Worth Publishers, New York, New York. Similarly, Rosie O'Donnell attacks gun sales in America, yet she promotes shopping at K-Mart, one of the top gun selling stores. In other words, we are the most true to ourselves when we are consciously aware of what we truly believe. Jesse Jackson offers a prime example; while he preaches family values, he had an affair and a baby with a woman other than his wife. His attitude might be cherishing family values, but his behavior illustrates the contrary. nge someone's behavior, studies have shown otherwise (2001).
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Acceptance Essays
