Empirical validation of affect, behavior, and cognition as distinct components of attitude

• Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology 1984-12, Vol.47 (6), p.1191-1205
• Main Author: Breckler, Steven J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Affect; Attitude; Attitudes; Behavior; Behavior. Attitude; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition; Cognitions; Emotional Responses; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart Rate; Human; Humans; Models, Psychological; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Semantic Differential; Social psychology; Statistics as Topic
• ISSN: 0022-3514; 1939-1315
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.47.6.1191

Evaluated the validity of a prevalent model of attitude structure that specifies 3 components: affect, behavior, and cognition. Five conditions needed for properly testing the 3-component distinction were identified. Consideration of the tripartite model's theoretical basis indicated that the most important validating conditions are (a) the use of nonverbal, in addition to verbal, measures of affect and behavior; and (b) the physical presence of the attitude object. Study 1--in which 138 undergraduates attitudes toward snakes were examined, through the use of measures such as the Mood Adjective Check List, semantic differential, and distance of approach--indicated very strong support for this tripartite model. The model was statistically acceptable, its relative fit was very good, and the intercomponent correlations were moderate. Study 2, with 105 Ss, was a verbal report analog of Study 1. Results from Study 2 indicate that higher intercomponent correlations occurred when attitude measures derived solely from verbal reports and when the attitude object was not physically present. (74 ref)