Constructs and attitudes

Lindsay Oades (Lindsay_Oades@uow.edu.au)
25 Jun 1996 14:10:29 +1000

Hi netters,
I have been reading around Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action.
Martin Fishbein's introduction to Terry, Gallois and McCammish's (1993) book
entitled "The Theory of Reasoned Action: Its application to AIDS-Preventive
behaviour" briefly outlines the history of this theory. Fishbein refers to
'the prevailing tripartite view of attitude as a complex concept consisting of
a cognitive, conative, and an affective compenent'. Fishbein claims this view
existed back when they were developing the theory. On reading this, what
struck me was the similarity of this older definition of attitude with the
assumptions surrounding a construct which combines cognitive, affective and
conative components.

As my history is short and my social psychology is rusty could someone
elaborate on the similarities and differences between constructs and
attitudes, or more broadly the theory of reasoned action and PCP?

Regards
Lindsay Oades
Wollongong

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