Definition of Explicit Attitudes

Explicit attitudes refers to the conscious beliefs and evaluations an individual holds towards a person, object, or idea. These attitudes are self-reported and can be easily accessed and expressed by the individual, as they are consciously aware of them.

Characteristics of Explicit Attitudes:

• Conscious awareness: Explicit attitudes are consciously held and accessible to the individual.
• Self-reported: Individuals can readily report their explicit attitudes.
• Intentional: Explicit attitudes are formed through deliberate thought processes and personal experiences.
• Controlled processing: They require cognitive effort to process and evaluate.
• Voluntary and changeable: Individuals have the ability to control and modify their explicit attitudes.

Measurement of Explicit Attitudes:

Various methods can be used to measure explicit attitudes, such as self-report questionnaires, interviews, and rating scales. These measurements aim to capture an individual’s conscious and verbalized beliefs and evaluations towards a specific target.

Role of Explicit Attitudes:

Explicit attitudes play a significant role in shaping an individual’s behavior, decision-making, and social interactions. They can be influential in guiding actions and interactions with others, as people tend to act in alignment with their consciously held beliefs and evaluations.

Interaction with Implicit Attitudes:

While explicit attitudes are consciously accessible, individuals may also hold implicit attitudes, which are unconscious and automatic evaluations that can sometimes differ from explicit attitudes. The interaction between explicit and implicit attitudes can influence behavior, as implicit attitudes may unintentionally guide actions despite consciously held explicit attitudes.