Attitude Change: Consider The Following Scenario Of Julie

Attitude Changeconsider The Following Scenario Of Julieas Her New Yea

Consider the following scenario of Julie: As her New Year’s resolution, Julie decided it was finally time she got in shape. Years ago, she ran regularly, but more recently, work and family have dominated her time. Julie still thought running was her best option; she lived in Florida with its year-round good weather, and the only financial investment was a good pair of running shoes and the right clothes. Having finally made this decision, Julie was very excited. She bought new shoes, running shorts, and performance tops, making her commitment to running even stronger.

She designed a realistic running regimen she was certain she could follow. Day 1 came and, dressed in her new gear, Julie started down her street; the plan was to run to the nearby park about one mile away. She did not want to push it on the first day; after all, it had been years since she had run. When she had run a little less than a block, she was gasping for air, forcing her to stop. Her lungs were on fire, she was dizzy and nauseous.

What Julie failed to consider was her pack-a-day cigarette smoking habit that seemed to throw a wrench in her plan. Conflicted, Julie knew something had to change. She fancied herself a runner who liked smoking cigarettes; unfortunately, running and smoking were incompatible. Would her desire for cigarettes convince her that getting in shape was not all that important? Or, would her desire to get in shape convince her that smoking was counterproductive to her goals?

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Julie’s dilemma exemplifies the psychological tension between conflicting attitudes and behaviors, a concept extensively examined through different theories of attitude change. Among these theories, the most pertinent explanation of her scenario is the Cognitive Dissonance Theory, developed by Leon Festinger, which posits that individuals experience psychological discomfort (dissonance) when their behaviors are inconsistent with their attitudes or beliefs. In Julie’s case, her self-image as someone who values health and fitness conflicts with her smoking habit. This ongoing inconsistency generates dissonance, motivating her to resolve it either by changing her behavior (quitting smoking) or modifying her attitude towards smoking (downplaying its health risks).

Cognitive Dissonance Theory suggests that individuals are more likely to change their attitudes when the behavior in question has significant implications for their self-concept. For Julie, the desire to become a runner and adopt a healthier lifestyle directly challenges her identification as a smoker. Since quitting smoking is often challenging and may threaten her sense of identity, she might initially seek to justify her smoking. For instance, she might rationalize her behavior by emphasizing stress relief or social aspects of smoking, thereby reducing dissonance without changing her habits. Conversely, if the dissonance becomes too uncomfortable, she might be motivated to alter her attitude towards smoking, viewing it as more harmful or incompatible with her new fitness goals.

The likelihood of her changing her behavior versus her attitude depends on the perceived difficulty of each action and her intrinsic motivation. Research indicates that attitude change is more likely when behaviors are less controllable, such as deeply ingrained habits like smoking. However, strong motivation and cues from new health-related experiences, like her failed first run, can increase the motivation to change behavior directly. In this context, the discomfort experienced by her poor initial performance and the recognition of health risks associated with smoking might serve as powerful motivators for behavioral change, especially if internalized as personal health goals rather than external pressures.

Furthermore, the role of external influences and social norms should not be underestimated. Exposure to health information or witnessing peer behaviors endorsing quitting smoking might enhance her attitude change, creating a more favorable view towards the health risks of smoking. According to the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), such informational cues can influence attitude change through a central processing route if Julie is motivated to consider the health information carefully, leading her to adopt a new, healthier attitude which then facilitates behavioral change.

Overall, while both attitude and behavior change are possible routes for Julie to resolve dissonance, the evidence suggests she may initially attempt to adjust her attitude—rationalizing her smoking to align with her health goals—to reduce discomfort with minimal effort. However, persistent dissonance and increased awareness of health risks could eventually lead to behavioral change, such as quitting smoking altogether. The interplay between motivation, perceived difficulty, social influences, and the perceived importance of her health goals will ultimately shape which change she adopts more strongly.

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