Class 12 Psychology - CBSE
Attitude and Social Cognition
Chapter 6 of CBSE Class 12 Psychology, 'Attitude and Social Cognition', explores how we form impressions of others, explain their behavior through attribution, and develop mental predispositions known as attitudes. It covers the ABC components of attitudes, cognitive dissonance, and the processes of social influence like persuasion and pro-social behavior. Understanding this chapter is crucial for board exams as it bridges cognitive psychology and social behavior, frequently featuring case-based applications and conceptual questions in the CBSE board exam.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Attitude
A state of the mind, a set of views, or thoughts regarding some topic (called the attitude object), having three components: Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive (ABC components).
Social Cognition
The process through which we try to understand, interpret, and explain other people and ourselves, heavily relying on schemas and mental shortcuts.
Attribution
The process of assigning causes to people's behavior, which can be internal (dispositional) or external (situational).
Cognitive Dissonance
A psychological state of discomfort arising from holding two or more contradictory cognitions simultaneously, proposed by Leon Festinger.
Pro-social Behaviour
Actions that are helpful and beneficial to others without expecting anything in return, influenced by empathy and situational factors like the bystander effect.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the CBSE Class 12 Psychology board examination, this chapter typically carries around 6-8 marks. Questions frequently include 1-mark MCQs, 2-mark conceptual definitions, and 4-6 mark application-based questions involving attitude change, cognitive dissonance, or attribution errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination?
Prejudice is an attitude or emotional bias (often negative) toward a particular group, whereas discrimination refers to the actual behavioral expression or unfair treatment of people based on that prejudice.
How does cognitive dissonance lead to attitude change?
When a person experiences psychological discomfort because their behavior contradicts their attitude, they are motivated to reduce this dissonance either by changing their behavior or by altering their attitude to match the behavior.
What is the Fundamental Attribution Error?
It is the tendency of people to overemphasize internal (dispositional) causes for other people's behavior while underestimating situational influences.
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