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Advance Research in Psychology and Behavioural Sciences (ARPBS)

Approaching the Construct of Attitude from the Perspective of Social Psychology

Volume 1 – Issue 2

Luis Rodríguez de Vera Mouliaá1*and Miguel Rodríguez de Vera Mouliaá

1Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Pedagogical University of Maputo, Mozambique, East Africa
1Freelancer, PhD in Psychology

 

Corresponding Author
Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Pedagogical University of Maputo, Mozambique, East Africa

Received  : May 09, 2025

Published : May 19, 2025

Keywords

Social Psychology; Attitude; Behavior; Cognition; Prejudice

Abstract

Attitude has been one of the most studied concepts in Social Psychology, highlighting its relevance as a central construct in human behavior. Starting from the traditional view, based on simple predisposition, we base a three-dimensional approach based on a complex dynamic system that combines cognition, emotion, and action. In addition, the text discusses the linear relationship between attitudes and behavior, questioning the idea that attitudes directly predict actions. In fact, attitudes are malleable, reconfigurable by experience and social interaction, which reinforces the importance of social learning and experience in the formation and modification of attitudes. Ultimately, our behavior is the reflection of a constant balance between internal and external factors that challenge the predictability of attitudes. If, on the one hand, cognition and emotion seem to guide our actions, on the other, social influence, cultural norms, and the need for psychological coherence can alter or even redefine our behavior. Therefore, attitude is the result of dynamic and interactive processes that can be transformed by experience, exposure to new information and interpersonal interaction. Ultimately, more than reflections of individual beliefs, attitudes are fluid, adaptable constructions that are deeply rooted in the complexity of human experience.