Social Perception & Attitudes

• Perceiving and Evaluating Other People
• Attributions
• Appearance
• Stereotypes
• Perceiving & Evaluating the Self [skip]
• Attitudes
• Functions of attitudes
• Attitude-Behaviour relationship (or lack thereof)

• Cognitive component
• Belief, idea
• Affective component
• Emotion, valence
• Behavioural predisposition
• Tendency to act

• Value-expressive
• Self-concept
• Social-adjustive
• Shared attitudes
• Defensive
• Rationalizations
• Utilitarian
• Guide behaviour

• High schools in St. Albert, early 1990s
• Install condom vending machines in washrooms?
• 41% of Grade 11 students reported being sexually active
• Positive attitude towards condoms and their use

• 41% of sexually active students reported no or infrequent condom use
• Influences items as part of follow-up survey

Questionnaire Items

• Attitude
• Towards condoms and their use
• Engagement in other "risky" behaviours
• Norms
• Influence of peer group
• Family status
• Relgious/moral beliefs
• Control
• Self-concept
• Knowledge
• Concern

• Toward condoms and their use
• If you carry condoms, people will think you are promiscuous (sleep around).
• Using condoms reduces sensation.
• I would be afraid to carry condoms in case my parents found out.
• I would talk with my partner about using condoms before having sexual intercourse.
• I would feel comfortable about buying condoms in a store.
• Engagement in other "risky" behaviours
• I smoke tobacco.
• I use prescription or non-prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.
• If I am drinking, I/my friends use a designate driver.

• Influence of peer group
• I would rather be a follower than a leader.
• I like to be part of a group.
• The greatest influence in my life has been my friends.
• Who or what has had an influence over your decision about whether or not to have sexual intercourse? (Answer = sexual partner or friends)
• Family status
• The greatest influence in my life has been my family.
• Who or what has had an influence over your decision about whether or not to have sexual intercourse? (Answer = family)
• Religious/moral beliefs
• The greatest influence in my life has been my religious or moral beliefs.
• Who or what has had an influence over your decision about whether or not to have sexual intercourse? (Answer = religious or moral beliefs)

• Self-concept
• I have confidence in myself.
• I am self-motivated.
• I cope easily with change.
• I feel depressed most of the time.
• I find it difficult to make decisions.
• Knowledge about STDs, pregnancy, and their prevention
• Condoms can be used for birth control.
• Condoms can protect you against AIDS.
• It is okay to use a friend’s prescription to treat yourself.
• You can’t get pregnant if you pull out early.
• Personal concern about STDs and pregnancy
• Who or what has had an influence over your decision about whether or not to have sexual intercourse? (Answer = concern about STDs or pregnancy)
• If you are or were to become sexually active, how might your knowledge about AIDS and other STDs affect your behaviour?

Predicting Sexual Activity
 
 

Predicting Condom Use

Other factors that may influence behaviour

Classical conditioning

Superficial thought (defense mechanism or lack of effort?)

Personal relevance

Information source