Attitude Meaning

An Attitude is a perspective which comes from the evaluation of objects like ideas, people or events. Depending on the maturity level, it is either derived from what one thinks about the object or the feeling that the person holds towards the object. Our behavior is heavily influenced by the like or dislike of the object. If one believes that a person is threatening, he may dislike the person and behave in an unfriendly manner.

Types of Attitude

Attitude is either positive or negative thinking or feeling about the person, thing or event. If you have positive feeling about a person or event, then it is called as a positive attitude.

People with positive attitude pay attention to the positive aspect of everything they encounter in their life.  Some may call them the optimists. Failures are not stumbling blocks but stepping stones for people with positive mental attitude. They do not have the fear of failure and move forward by learning from their mistakes. People with negative attitude often find reasons to pin the blame on others for their mistakes.

Why do we have a positive or negative attitude?

Daniel Katz says that attitudes are mostly determined by the extent in which it helps the person to achieve their goals. He further divides it into four types namely, instrumental(minimize penalty and maximize reward), knowledge(personal frame of understanding), Express basic value(establishing an identity with values), Ego-defensive(superiority attitude which stems from feelings of inferiority). When attitudes no longer serve its purpose for the individual, the attitude begins to change. Attitude can be changed when the underlying motive of the need changes. Your attitude towards the car changes when it becomes old and when your salary increases, your old car does not reflect your status.

We develop favorable attitudes towards things that aid or reward us. We want to maximize rewards and minimize penalties. Katz says we develop attitudes that help us meet this goal. We favor political parties that will advance our economic lot – if we are in business, we favor the party that will keep our taxes low, if unemployed we favor one that will increase social welfare benefits. We are more likely to change our attitudes if doing so allows us to fulfill our goals or avoid undesirable consequences.  read more at www3.nd.edu

Example of Attitude

When you get to a restaurant, different people will be exhibiting different attitudes. One may be frustrated as he might be sitting alone, another is cheerful, another is cautious on watching whether anyone is noticing him. These people are behaving because of the situation and the people around them. When they get out of the restaurant, their attitude will change as the environment changes. Someone who used to love taking a bath in the sea may change his attitude when they have a scary experience such as drowning. Attitudes change over time based on our experiences.

Find more information on Attitude

• Difference between Attitude and Personality

• Can you determine behavior based on attitude

• ABC Model of Attitude

• How attitude help us to ease our life

• How attitudes are formed

• How to change your attitude

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