Class 12 Psychology - WEST-BENGAL
Attitude and Social Cognition
The chapter 'Attitude and Social Cognition' in Class 12 Psychology explores how we understand other people and form mental representations of our social world. It delves into the nature of attitudes, how they are formed and changed, and the cognitive processes we use to make sense of social interactions, such as attribution and schemas. For West Bengal (WBBSE) board exams, this chapter is crucial as it forms the foundation of social psychology. Questions frequently test your understanding of attitude components (the A-B-C model), processes of attitude change, and cognitive biases like fundamental attribution error, making conceptual clarity essential for scoring high.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Attitude
A state of the mind, a set of views and thoughts regarding a topic, person, or object, consisting of affective, behavioural, and cognitive components (the A-B-C model).
Social Cognition
The process through which we interpret, analyse, remember, and use information about the social world to make judgements and decisions about other people.
Schema
Mental structures or frameworks that help us organise and process social information, guiding our perception and memory of people and events.
Attribution
The process of assigning causes to our own and other people's behaviour, which can be categorised into internal (dispositional) or external (situational) causes.
Fundamental Attribution Error
The tendency to overestimate internal dispositional factors and underestimate situational factors when explaining other people's behaviour.
Cognitive Dissonance
A state of psychological tension that arises when a person holds two contradictory beliefs, thoughts, or attitudes simultaneously, motivating them to restore consistency.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the West Bengal (WBBSE) Class 12 Psychology board exam, this chapter typically carries around 8 to 12 marks. Questions frequently appear as multiple-choice questions (MCQs), short answer type questions (2-3 marks), and long answer descriptive questions (5 marks), particularly focusing on attitude formation, the A-B-C model, cognitive dissonance, and attribution errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination?
Prejudice is an attitude or pre-conceived opinion (usually negative) about a group, whereas discrimination is the actual behavioural expression or unfair treatment of people based on that prejudice.
How can an existing attitude be changed?
Attitudes can be changed through persuasion, cognitive dissonance (creating conflict between current belief and behaviour), or positive interaction and exposure to counter-attitudinal information.
What is the A-B-C model of attitudes?
It stands for Affective (emotional feelings), Behavioural (tendency to act), and Cognitive (beliefs and thoughts) components that together make up any attitude towards an object or person.
Learn Attitude and Social Cognition with Your AI Tutor
10 different ways to study this chapter. Free for 3 chapters per day.
Lecture
Key Points
Interactive
Quiz
Flashcards