Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Brim, Orville G.

Titel

Attitude Content-Intensity and Probability Expectations

Ist Teil von

• American sociological review, 1955-02, Vol.20 (1), p.68-76

Ort / Verlag

American Sociological Society

Erscheinungsjahr

1955

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Numerous studies have discovered a U-shaped relationship between content and intensity of attitudes. The present study analyzes this relationship in a study of attitudes of 101 Coll students. R's estimate the probability (chances out of 100) for the occurrence of 32 everyday events for which probability values are debatable or little known. Certainty for each probability estimate is measured by a 5-point scale ranging from 'very sure' to 'not sure at all.' The relationship between probability of occurrence estimates and amount of certainty concerning the estimates is discovered to be U-shaped, the more extreme the probability chosen, the more certain the subject is that the value is correct. This particular relationship is analyzed and it is concluded that it can largely be explained by the principle of 'equiprobability through ignorance.' The principle, according to which responses to events about which one knows or cares little are thrown to the middle of a choice range, is discussed and departures from it are investigated. Individual differences in both extremity of probability responses and intensity of certainty feelings are analyzed. The position is taken that such differences are due to individual differences in motivation to escape from uncertainty, or differences in 'security need.' The greater the security need, the more likely is a person to avoid ambiguous or middle range responses and to exhibit high intensity of belief. Two sets of empirical data support this position: (1) analysis of Suchman's data show that respondents categorized as high, middle, and low with respect to intensity of attitudes differ signif with regard to frequency of exhibiting extreme attitude positions (X p = .001), & (2) scores on a 'need for security' test correlate highly with extreme responses on standardized attitude tests, particularly when both attitude content and intensity are considered. W. F. Kenkel.