The Functional Approach to the Study of Attitudes
1960/01/01 by Daniel Katz · 2,929 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Behavioural sciences #Computer science #Law #Library science #Media studies #Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence #Political science #Politics #Psychological research #Psychology #Public opinion #Public relations #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Social psychology #Social science #Sociology
paper · doi:10.1086/266945
published in Public Opinion Quarterly 24(2, Special Issue: Attitude Change), 163 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 1960/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Abstract
At the psychological level the reasons for holding or for changing attitudes are found in the functions they perform for the individual, specifically the functions of adjustment, ego defense, value expression, and knowledge. The conditions necessary to arouse or modify an attitude vary according to the motivational basis of the attitude. Ego-defensive attitudes, for example, can be aroused by threats, appeals to hatred and repressed impulses, and authoritarian suggestion, and can be changed by removal of threat, catharsis, and self-insight. Expressive attitudes are aroused by cues associated with the individual's values and by the need to reassert his self-image and can be changed by showing the appropriateness of the new or modified beliefs to the self-concept Brain washing is primarily directed at the value-expressive function and operates by controlling all environmental supports of old values. Changing attitudes may involve generalization of change to related areas of belief and feeling. Minimal generalization seems to be the rule among adults; for example, in politics voting for an opposition candidate does not have much effect upon party identification.
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