In social psychology, what term describes a predisposition to respond to objects, people, and events?

• A. Central Route Persuasion
• B. Attitude
• C. Role
• D. Conformity

Answer: (B)

An attitude is a predisposition to respond to objects, people, and events with a favorable or unfavorable evaluation. It blends beliefs about the object (cognitive), feelings toward it (affective), and behavioral tendencies (how you’re likely to act). This evaluative stance shapes how you perceive related information and guides your subsequent behavior toward the object or person. For example, a positive attitude toward dogs makes you more inclined to approach them and feel comfortable around them. Central route persuasion refers to the process of changing attitudes through thoughtful arguments, not the predisposition itself. A role is about expected behaviors tied to a social position, not an internal evaluation. Conformity involves changing behavior to fit group norms, rather than an individual's evaluative orientation. So the term that best fits “predisposition to respond to objects, people, and events” is attitude.