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Attitudes and Learning

Attitudes
Definition: An attitude is a predisposition to respond toward a particular person or group of
persons; a particular object or a group of objects in a favourable or unfavourable manner
...
People perceive objects, events,
ideas and other people as either bad or good, pleasant or unpleasant, and so on
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In other words, people form attitudes
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How a person perceives something affects
how the person thinks, feels and acts towards that thing
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Components of Attitudes/Structure of Attitudes
Attitudes have three components – affective/feeling, cognitive and behavioural
(a) Affective component (consists of feelings or emotions) – It consists of positive or negative
feelings
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(b) Cognitive component (knowledge) – this involves knowledge and belief
...
g
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One therefore takes a certain
position on an issue because he has thought about it and considered evidence about it
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Sometimes an attitude may be based on a large store of incorrect information and false beliefs
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We should bear in mind that there will always
be a discrepancy between our expressed attitude and our actual behaviour
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It is only after we observe the behaviour that we can tell what
the actual attitude is
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Functions of Attitudes
1
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For purposes of survival in a given culture, an individual will adopt
certain attitudes in order to be accepted by a group
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2
...
g
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3
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They help us approach what
we think is good for us e
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Good food, friendly company, an interesting subject, and so on
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Ego Defense Mechanism – Attitudes may be held to confirm an individuals beliefs about
himself or others as good or bad, intelligent or dull, etc
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Development of Attitudes/Acquisition of Attitudes/Attitude Formation in a Learning
Situation
Attitudes are acquired early in life through the experiences one goes through
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Theories on acquisition and change of attitudes include:

1
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

Classical conditioning – positive experiences (UCS) are paired with an attitude object
(CS)
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The food is the UCS while the school is the CS
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

Operant conditioning – attitudes can also be acquired through reinforcement for example
in a school setting, the teacher can positively reinforce a learner by praising him when the
learner displays attitudes or behaviours that are considered desirable
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Social learning theory – this theory says attitudes are transmitted through the process of
imitation
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g
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In later childhood and adolescence, the individual observes the peer
group and identifies with them by assuming the attitudes they hold
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Cognitive theory of attitude change – cognitive theory of attitude acquisition and change
was developed by Festinger (1957)
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These
elements are called cognitions and include knowledge, beliefs and opinions which could be
correct or incorrect
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When we hold inconsistent cognitions a state of discomfort called
cognitive dissonance occurs
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When the attitudes
one holds are inconsistent with behaviour, the state of cognitive dissonance that is created
is unpleasant
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Thus an attitude change results from the attempt to restore
consistency between attitudes and behaviour
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

Inconsistency with cultural practices – when one holds beliefs that go against the culture,
dissonance occurs for example when a community believes in female circumcision but a school
girl does not want to be circumcised



Inconsistency between a particular behaviour and the general trend of behaviour – for
example a learner is always obedient and honest and tells a lie at one time
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

Where the event does not fit our past experience – for example when an old friend does not
return a greeting
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These attitudes
will affect learning
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References
Brown, F
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(1955)
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NY: Prentice-Hall, Inc
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(2004)
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NY:
Delmar Learning
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A
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F
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A sociological approach to education
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Dewey, J
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The schools and society, Chicago: University of Chikago
Press
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(1938)
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New York : Collier Books
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(1956)
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Illinois, USA: The Free
Press
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L
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Introduction to early childhood education
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Froebel, F
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The education of man
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Government of Kenya
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Report of the presidential working party on
education and manpower training for the next decade and beyond
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Hollins, E
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(1996)
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NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
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H
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Philosophy of Education
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Ladson-Billings, G
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“Culturally relevant teaching: The key to
making multicultural education work
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Lawton, J
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(1998)
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Boston: Scott, Foresman and Company
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S
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A sociological approach to Indian education
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Morrison, G, S, (1997)
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New
Jersey: Printice Hall
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J
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Social Change
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McGraw
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C
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Curriculum foundations, Principles and Issues
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Read, K
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& Mahler, B
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Early childhood programs
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Sachdeva, M
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(1996)
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Ludhiana: TandonPublications
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(1992)
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Critical teaching for social change
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Taba, H
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Curriculum development: Theory and practice
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Zais, R
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(1976)
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NY: Thomas Y
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