Attitudes
From WikEd
Descriptions, definitions, synonyms, organizer terms, types of
From http://users.ipfw.edu/bordens/social/attit.htm--
- Defining an Attitude
o An attitude is a mental and neural state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon the individual's response to all objects and situations with which it is related (Allport, 1935)
o Important elements of Allport's definition:
+ Attitudes are private
+ Attitudes are formed and organized through experience. That is, we are not born with our attitudes we acquire them via the SOCIALIZATION process
+ An attitude is not passive, but rather it exerts a dynamic or directive influence on behavior. Attitudes believed to directly influence behavior
Variously defined as an orientation (towards a person, situation, institution, or social process) that is held to be indicative of an underlying value or belief, or, among those who insist that attitudes can only be inferred from observed behavior, as a tendency to act in a certain (more or less consistent) way towards persons and situations. An attitude is 'a relatively enduring organization of beliefs around an object or situation predisposing one to respond in some preferential manner' (Rokeach cited in A Dictionary of Sociology, 2005, http://www.oxfordreference.com.proxy2.library.uiuc.edu/views/ENTRY.html?entry=t88.e108&srn=1&ssid=47808953#FIRSTHIT).
Application in and effects on classrooms and similar settings
Evidence of effectiveness
Critics and their rationale
Alternative explanations due to Diversity considerations
Signed �?life experiences�?, testimonies and stories
I have found that the best way to deal with student attitudes is to pretend you do not sense an attitude and instead praise them for their input. For example, I had one student tell me one day she was not going to participate in a review game because she was too tired, it was too hard, and she just did not want to. Instead of getting angry with the student and starting a scene, I caudled the students behavior and instead said, "Oh I am so sorry you didn't get enough sleep last night. Is everything ok? If you feel the work is too hard do you want to come in before school or after school for help." Her eyes widened and she very quickly stopped talking and the negativity was quickly diminished.
If one wants to learn about attitude, visit a junior high.This is an attitude building.The students are going through so many physical and emotional changes that attitude is all around.Dealing with the attitude takes patience, but I have found that a listening ear and a sense of humor will help the teacher deal with the attitude.Usually by 8th grade, the attitude is less and the students are maturing. A.Harty
References and other links of interest
The attitudes of todays youth are very difficult to deal with sometimes because they have a mindset that they either have to be dumb or smart. Many kids that I teach try to act dumb for their classmates so they can play the role of the class clown. And many of these kids develop these attitudes due to the lack of support they don't receive at home. --Brian Bucciarelli
"attitudes" A Dictionary of Sociology. John Scott and Gordon Marshall. Oxford University Press 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign. 26 June 2006 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t88.e108>
Positive Attitude Institute (PAI). http://www.positiveinstitute.com/
