Download What are Attitudes?

Developing Positive Attitudes:
A Practical Attitude Development Process
Materials Available at:
http://ronwilliamson.com/Oregon_GEAR_UP.html
Panelists
Howard Johnston
University of South Florida
Ron Williamson
Eastern Michigan University
Presentation Outline
The Attitude Challenge
Attitude Formation & Change Strategies
Discussion
The Attitude Challenge
Student, parent and community attitudes may not
support post-secondary education.
Staff may hold (and convey) negative attitudes
about chances for student success in postsecondary education.
Everyone may harbor unproductive/unrealistic
beliefs: “I’ll just go to work in the [mill, woods,
cannery, etc.] like the rest of my family.”
Attitudes are Keys to Change
We believe in the power of positive
attitudes.
• “He’s got a bad attitude.”
• “She’s got the right attitude.”
• “Positive and negative attitudes are
directions. Which do you choose?”
• “The only disability in life is a bad
attitude.”
• “Our attitude toward life determines
life's attitude towards us.”
What are Attitudes?
An attitude is a predisposition to
approach or avoid and idea, event,
person or object.
It is an tendency to act in one way or
another toward and “attitude object.”
They can be specific (The NY Knicks) or
general (Pro Basketball…or even
“sports.”)
The Good News
They may appear inflexible, but
 They are learned
 What is learned can be unlearned
 There are systematic ways to change
attitudes
 Most people don’t hold very strong attitudes
about most things
 Don’t waste your time “fertilizing the rocks;”
focus on what you can change
Where Do Attitudes Come
From?
• We copy those of people who are
important to us.
• We try out an attitude and are
rewarded or punished for it.
• We get talked into it by a persuasive
argument.
Usually, it’s a combination of these.
How Can You Change
Attitudes?
• Cognitive Approaches – changing the way
people think about the attitude object.
• Persuasive communication
• Cognitive dissonance
• Behavioral Approaches – rewards and
reinforcements.
• Reward desirable attitudes
• Ignore undesirable attitudes
• Social Approaches -- copy the beliefs of
those we admire.
• Modeling
• Consensus
• Peer group management
Cognitive Approaches
Persuasive Communication
• An engaging, energizing story of how a school
staff member helped a student prepare for and
succeed in college.
• Testimonials of former students.
Cognitive Dissonance
• Point out contradictory beliefs or differences
between beliefs and actions.
• How did you get here?
Behavioral Approaches
Rewards and Reinforcements
•Reward desirable attitudes
•Encourage action based on positive attitudes
•“Win Early, Win Often” and Celebrate
Successes
Punishments
•Rarely work to change attitudes
•Ignore inappropriate attitudes
•Deprive chronic dissenters of audience
Social Approaches
Modeling
•Showcase respected, high status models
•Models must be attractive to the group
Consensus
•Agree on broad statements
•Everyone must participate – perhaps virtually
•Safeguard against bullying
Structure/Re-structure Peer Groups
•Create supportive groups
•Support and sustain positive group actions
A Sample Attitude Change Plan
Attitude Goal: Staff affirms that their students can prepare for, be admitted to, and
succeed in post-secondary education.
Social
Cognitive
Testimonials from former
students about how school
helped them prepare and
succeed.
Persuasive communication
about changing local job
market and opportunities
for kids.
Testimonials by respected
colleagues about how they
have helped students prepare
for post-secondary success.
Link post-secondary
education to success of
entire region.
“Study Teams” or
“Intervention Teams” prepare
school-wide campaign –
colleague to colleague.
Enlist other groups: churches,
businesses, etc.
Provide clear information
about opportunities, costs,
benefits of post-secondary
education.
Ask “how did you start
out?” Find models from
faculty.
Behavioral
Celebrate successes of
individual teachers – e.g.,
“turn around kids.”
Use resources for training
and professional
development on promoting
post-sec educ.
Reward staff who are “on
board.”
Minimize influence of
negative forces and
personalities.
Discussion
 What are attitudes in your school
or community you’d like to
change?
 What strategies we talked about
today might be helpful?
 What are the impediments to
changing those attitudes?
For More Information
Download a complete Attitude Change Handbook
and sample plans:
http://tinyurl.com/3b455b7
For a copy of the handout and PPT:
http://ronwilliamson.com/Oregon_GEAR_UP.html
Contact us:
Howard at: [email protected]
Ron at : [email protected]