The term attitude formation refers to the movement we make from having no attitude

toward an object to having some positive or negative attitude toward that object. A range
of mechanisms for attitude formation are involved. They are – mere exposure; direct
personal experience; operant and classical conditioning; and observational learning.
They have been discussed below:
Contents
 Mere Exposure
 Direct Personal Experience
 Conditioning Process
 The Heritability Factor
 Degree of influence of attitude on behaviour

Mere Exposure
Some attitudes may be formed and shaped by what is known as mere exposure, which
means that simply being exposed to an object increases our feelings, usually positive,
toward that object. The limit to this the effect is most powerful when it occurs randomly
over time and that too many exposures actually will decrease the effect.
Direct Personal Experience
Second way of formation of attitude is through direct personal experience. It has the
power to create and change attitudes. They are likely to affect behavior strongly.
Information to support such attitudes is also more likely to occur. Direct experience
continues to form and shape our attitudes throughout life.
Conditioning Process
 During the course of socialization, a person’s attitudes may be formed through operant
and classical conditioning, in the former the individual’s behavior is strengthened or
weakened by means of reward or punishment.
 In classical conditioning, when an attitude object (a person) was paired with positive or
negative stimuli, they came to associate the person with the positive or negative
 Observational learning occurs when we watch what people do and then model, or imitate,
that behavior. Observational learning does not depend on rewards, but rewards can
strengthen the learning, further people are more likely to imitate behavior that is rewarded.
When there are discrepancies between what people say and what they do, children tend
to imitate the behavior.
The Heritability Factor
Attitudes and other complex social behaviors may have a genetic component. Genetics
have an indirect effect on our attitudes. Characteristics that are biologically based might
predispose us to certain behaviors and attitudes. Biologically based characteristic affects
how one thinks, feels, and acts.
Degree of influence of attitude on behaviour
Our attitudes develop over time and not only reflect where we have come from but also
how we will proceed with our life in the future. Attitudes are therefore a powerful element
in our life, are long enduring and hard to change easily.
The degree of influence begins with the assumption that we behave in accordance with
our conscious intentions. They are based, on our rational calculations about the potential
effects of our attitude towards our behaviour and about how other people will feel about
it.
The factors that determine attitude-behavior consistency is accessibility, strength,
ambivalence. The central point is that a person’s behavior and behavioural intentions can
be predicted from the influencing factors that governs a person’s attitude.
A person’s attitude toward his or her own behavior is predicted by the expectancy-value
framework: The desirability of each possible outcome is weighted by the likelihood of that
outcome.
Subjective social norms are influenced by the perceived expectations of significant others
weighted by the motivation to conform to those expectations.
Both these reason appeals because it makes people think reasonable and it places
attitudes in a central place in determining behavior.

How to Create a Positive Attitude:

positive attitude boosts you up when you're low.

Here's how to cultivate a positive attitude, regardless of what's happening around you
1. Remember that YOU control your attitude.
Attitude does not emerge from what happens to you, but instead from how you decide to

interpret what happens to you.

Take, for example, receiving the unexpected gift of an old automobile. One person might
think: "It's a piece of junk!" a second might think: "It's cheap transportation," and a third
might think: "It's a real classic!"
In each case, the person is deciding how to interpret the event and therefore controlling
how he or she feels about it (i.e. attitude).
2. Adopt beliefs that frame events in a positive way.
Your beliefs and rules about life and work determine how you interpret events and

therefore your attitude. Decide to adopt "strong" beliefs that create a good attitude rather

than beliefs that create a bad attitude. To use sales as an example:

 Situation: The first sales call of the day goes poorly.

 Weak: A lousy first call means that I'm off my game and today will suck.

 Strong: Every sales call is different, so the next will probably be better.

 Situation: A customer reduces the amount of an order at the last minute!

 Weak: Customers who change orders can't be trusted.

 Strong: Customers who change orders are more likely to be satisfied!

 Situation: A big sales win comes seemingly "out of nowhere."

 Weak: Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while.

 Strong: You never know when something wonderful will happen!

3. Create a "library" of positive thoughts.

or motivational. If you do this regularly, you'll have those thoughts and feelings ready at

hand (or rather, ready to mind) when events don't go exactly the way you'd prefer.
4. Avoid angry or negative media.
Unfortunately, the media is full of hateful people who make money by goading listeners

to be paranoid, unhappy, and frightened. The resulting flood of negativity doesn't just

destroy your ability to maintain a positive attitude; it actively inserts you into a state of

misery, pique, and umbrage. Rather than suck up the spew, limit your "informational"

media consumption to business and industry news.

5. Ignore complainers.
Whiners and complainers see the world differently. They'd rather talk about what's

irreparably wrong, rather than make things better.

6. Use a more positive vocabulary.

your brain how to think. Therefore, if you want to have a positive attitude, your vocabulary

must be consistently positive. Therefore:

 Stop using negative phrases such as "I can't," "It's impossible," or "This won't work."

These statements program you for negative results.

 Whenever anyone asks "How are you?" rather than "Hangin' in there," or "Okay, I

guess..." respond with "Terrific!" or "Never felt better!" And mean it.

 When you're feeling angry or upset, substitute neutral words for emotionally loaded

ones. Rather than saying "I'm enraged!" say "I'm a bit annoyed..."