Class 12 Psychology - MP
Attitude and Social Cognition
The chapter 'Attitude and Social Cognition' in Class 12 Psychology explores how we form impressions of others, understand their behavior, and develop attitudes toward people, objects, and issues. Social cognition involves the mental processes we use to make sense of our social world through schemas, attribution, and stereotypes. Attitudes, comprising cognitive, affective, and behavioral components, guide our actions and can change through persuasion. For Madhya Pradesh (MPBSE) board exams, mastering this chapter is crucial as it forms the foundation of social psychology, frequently featuring in both objective and descriptive questions.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Social Cognition
The mental processes involved in gathering, remembering, and using information about the social world to make judgments and decisions.
Attitude
A state of the mind, set of views, or thoughts regarding a topic containing cognitive, affective, and behavioral components (the ABC components).
Schemas
Mental structures or frameworks that help us organize and process social information efficiently.
Attribution
The process by which we assign causes to our own and other people's behavior, categorized into internal (dispositional) and external (situational) causes.
Pro-social Behavior
Actions intended to help or benefit another person or group without expecting any external reward in return.
Cognitive Dissonance
A psychological state of discomfort arising from holding two or more contradictory beliefs or attitudes simultaneously.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Madhya Pradesh (MPBSE) Class 12 Psychology board exam, this chapter typically carries around 6 to 8 marks. Questions usually include objective type (MCQs, fill-in-the-blanks), short-answer questions (distinguishing between prejudice and discrimination, or schemas and stereotypes), and long-answer questions explaining the process of attitude formation and change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prejudice is an attitude or pre-conceived opinion (usually negative) about a group, whereas discrimination refers to the actual behavior or unfair treatment directed against that group based on prejudice.
What are the ABC components of attitude?
The ABC components stand for Affective (emotional reactions and feelings), Behavioral (actions and tendencies), and Cognitive (beliefs and thoughts) components.
Can attitudes be changed? How?
Yes, attitudes can change through persuasion, cognitive dissonance, message characteristics (like source credibility), and positive interactions between out-groups.
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