Attitude and Social Cognition class 12 questions and answers: Class 12 Psychology chapter 6 ncert solutions
| Textbook | NCERT |
| Class | Class 12 |
| Subject | Psychology |
| Chapter | Chapter 6 |
| Chapter Name | Attitude and Social Cognition class 12 ncert solutions |
| Category | Ncert Solutions |
| Medium | English |
Are you looking for Psychology Class 12 Chapter 6 question answers Attitude and Social Cognition? Now you can download Class 12 Psychology chapter 6 ncert solutions pdf from here.
Question 1: Define attitude. Discuss the components of an attitude.
Answer 1: Attitudes are state of the mind, set of views or thoughts or ideas regarding some topic which have an evaluative feature (positive, negative or neutral). These are relatively stable predispositions.
Various components of an attitude are as follows:
(i)The thought component is referred to as the cognitive aspect of attitude.
(ii)The emotional component is known as the affective aspect.
(iii)The tendency to act is called the behavioural (conative) aspect.
These three aspects have been referred to as the A-B-C (affective-behavioural-cognitive)components of attitude. Attitudes are themselves not a tendency to behave or act in certain ways. They are part of cognition, along with an emotional component which cannot be observed from outside.
Question 2: Are attitudes learnt? Explain how?
Answer 2: Yes, attitudes are learnt through one’s own experience and through interaction with others. There are also some sort of inborn aspect of attitudes, but such genetic factors influence attitudes only indirectly, along with learning. The processes and conditions of learning may be different, resulting in varying attitudes among people.
1. Learning attitudes by association :-
Some students often develop a liking for a particular subject because of the teacher. This is because they see many positive qualities in that teacher; these positive qualities get linked to the subject that s/he teaches, and ultimately get expressed in the form of liking for the subject. In other words, a positive attitude towards the subject is learned through the positive association between a teacher and a student.
2. Learning attitudes by being rewarded or punished :-
If an individual is praised for showing a particular attitude, chances are high that s/he will develop that attitude further. For example, if a teenager does yogasanas regularly, and gets the honour of being ‘Miss Good Health’ in her school, she may develop a positive attitude towards yoga and health in general. Similarly, if a child constantly falls ill because s/he eats junk food instead of proper meals, then the child is likely to develop a negative attitude towards junk food, and also a positive attitude towards eating healthy food.
3. Learning attitudes through modelling (observing others) :-
Often it is not through association, or through reward and punishment, that we learn attitudes. Instead, we learn them by observing others being rewarded or punished for expressing thoughts, or showing behaviour of a particular kind towards the attitude object. For example, children may form a respectful attitude towards elders, by observing that their parents show respect for elders, and are appreciated for it.
4. Learning attitudes through group or cultural norms :-
Very often, we learn attitudes through the norms of our group or culture. Norms are unwritten rules about behaviour that everyone is supposed to show under specific circumstances. Over time, these norms may become part of our social cognition, in the form of attitudes. Learning attitudes through group or cultural norms may actually be an example of all three forms of learning i.e. learning through association, reward or punishment, and modelling.
5. Learning through exposure to information :-
Many attitudes are learned in a social context, but not necessarily in the physical presence of others. Today, with the huge amount of information that is being provided through various media, both positive and negative attitudes are being formed. By reading the biographies of self-actualised persons, an individual may develop a positive attitude towards hard work and other aspects as the means of achieving success in life.
Question 3: What are the factors that influence the formation of an attitude?
Answer 3: The factors that influence the formation of an attitude:
(i) Personal Experience: Direct experiences with objects, people, or situations significantly shape attitudes, especially if the experiences are strong or memorable.
(ii) Social Influences: Family, friends, peers, and social groups impact attitude formation through shared beliefs and norms.
(iii) Cultural Influences: Cultural background and societal norms play a role in shaping attitudes, as they dictate acceptable behaviours and beliefs.
(iv) Education and Information: Knowledge gained through education, media, and information sources influences attitudes by providing facts and perspectives.
(v) Emotional Factors: Emotions and moods can affect attitudes, as people may form attitudes based on how something makes them feel.
Question 4: Is behaviour always a reflection of one’s attitude? Explain with a relevant example.
Answer 4: An individual’s attitude may not always be exhibited through behaviour. Likewise one’s actual behaviour may be contrary to one’s attitude towards a particular topic. Psychologists have found that there would be consistency between attitude and behaviour when:
- (i) The attitude is strong, and occupies a central place in the attitude system,
- (ii) the person is aware of her/his attitude,
- (iii) There is very little or no external pressure for the person to behave in a particular way. For example, when there is no group pressure to follow a particular norm.
- (iv) The person’s behaviour is not being watched or evaluated by others, and
- (v) The person thinks that the behaviour would have a positive consequence, and therefore, intends to engage in that behaviour.
Richard La Piere, an American social psychologist, conducted the following study. He asked a Chinese couple to travel across the United States, and stay in different hotels. Only once during these occasions they were refused service by one of the hotels. La Piere sent out questionnaires to managers of hotels and tourist homes in the same areas where the Chinese couple had travelled asking them if they would give accommodation to Chinese guest.
A very large percentage said that they would not do so. This response showed a negative attitude towards the Chinese, which was inconsistent with the positive behaviour that was actually shown towards the travelling Chinese couple. Attitudes may not always predict actual pattern of one’s behaviour.
Question 5: Differentiate between prejudice and stereotype.
Answer 5: Prejudices are examples of attitudes towards a particular group. They are usually negative, and in many cases, may be based on stereotypes (the cognitive component) about the specific group while stereotype is a cluster of ideas regarding the characteristics of a specific group.
Prejudice generally based on ethnicity, race, gender, caste and the like who mostly tend to show negative feelings towards people belonging to other groups while Stereotype described as classifying people based on their membership in a particular group, based on a certain preconceived belief which can be negative, positive or neutral and can be based on factors like gender, ethnicity, occupation etc.
Stereotypes consist of undesirable characteristics about the target group, and they lead to negative attitudes or prejudices towards members of specific groups. The cognitive component of prejudice is frequently accompanied by dislike or hatred, the affective component while Prejudice may also get translated into discrimination, the behavioural component, whereby people behave in a less positive way towards a particular target group compared to another group which they favour.
Prejudice is not based on a truth and usually originates from the lack of knowledge about a certain group of people while stereotype might be based on a truth. However, a stereotype can originate from prejudice.
Question 6: Prejudice can exist without discrimination and vice versa. Comment.
Answer 6: Prejudices can exist without being shown in the form of discrimination. Similarly,
discrimination can be shown without prejudice.
Wherever prejudice and discrimination exist, conflicts are very likely to arise between groups within the same society.
We all witnessed many instances of discrimination, with and without prejudice, based on gender, religion, community, caste, physical handicap, and illnesses such as AIDS.
Moreover, in many cases, discriminatory behaviour can be curbed by law. But, the cognitive and emotional components of prejudice are more difficult to change.
Question 7: Your friend eats too much junk food, how would you be able to bring about a change in her/his attitude towards food?
Answer 7: To help a friend who eats too much junk food, you can approach the situation with care and positivity. Here’s how you can encourage a change in their attitude toward food:
1. Start with Empathy: Understand their reasons for eating junk food (e.g., convenience, stress, or habit). Avoid being judgmental or overly critical; instead, show genuine concern for their well-being.
2. Educate Gradually: Share information about the benefits of healthy eating and how it improves energy levels, mood, and long-term health. Avoid overwhelming them with too much information at once.
3. Lead by Example: Practice healthy eating habits yourself. Seeing you enjoy balanced meals can inspire them to do the same. Invite them to join you in preparing or trying nutritious meals.
4. Offer Fun Alternatives: Introduce healthier versions of their favorite junk foods, such as baked chips instead of fried ones or homemade burgers with whole-grain buns and fresh veggies. Encourage trying new recipes that are both delicious and nutritious.
5. Be Supportive, Not Pushy: Encourage small, gradual changes, such as replacing one junk food snack with a healthy option each day. Celebrate their progress, no matter how small, to motivate them.
6. Encourage Mindful Eating: Talk about the benefits of paying attention to hunger cues and savoring meals, rather than mindless snacking. Suggest keeping a food diary to become more aware of eating habits.
7. Be Active Together: Suggest fun activities like cooking healthy meals together, going grocery shopping, or engaging in physical activities like walking, hiking, or sports.
8. Be Patient Changing attitudes and habits takes time. Stay supportive and understanding if they slip up.