attitude change

n. An attitude is a general and relatively lasting evaluation an individual holds regarding another person, object, or idea. Attitudes can be positive, negative, or neutral and can range from moderate to quite extreme (e.g., slightly positive to very positive). Attitude change refers to any alteration in a person’s overall evaluation of an attitude object, including shifts in valence, extremity, or the development of an attitude where none existed before.
According to the elaboration likelihood model and other contemporary dual-process theories of social judgment, attitude change can occur through two general types of processes: those that require low cognitive effort and those that require high cognitive effort. The degree of effort applied is determined by the individual’s willingness and ability to think critically. In general, high-effort processes yield attitudes that last longer, are more resistant to change, and are better predictors of behavior than those changed through low- effort processes. - MM