attitude object

n. An attitude object is any distinct object that is evaluated. It may be a concrete target, a person, an event, an abstract entity, a social group, the self, or any aspect of the world. For example, an abstract entity such as equal rights and a concrete target such as a consumer product can both be attitude objects. Changes in aspects of the objects have been shown to produce changes in the attitude itself. For example, a red strawberry is appealing, but a brown strawberry is not. Due to the learned association between the object and the attitude, exposure to the object can activate its stored, associated attitude automatically. The attitude about an object can also be linked to beliefs about the attributes of the product. Strong associations with favorable attributes make attitudes about the product favorable. Objects can be evaluated with or without intention. - kcm, da