Ira and her cousin Dhruv grew up in the same town. In Class 8, Ira moved to a school where her Science teacher, Mrs. Rao, was warm, patient and kind. Ira had disliked Science earlier, but she soon began to love it. Dhruv's Science teacher was harsh and often impatient, and Dhruv still dislikes the subject. Ira's mother says the children 'got their views in their blood'. The school counsellor disagrees. She feels the views came from what each child went through and the people each child met.
Ira's new liking for Science is best explained by which process of attitude formation?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Learning attitudes by association
Option (1) Learning attitudes by association — Correct. Ira saw positive qualities in Mrs. Rao. These got linked to the subject she teaches, so Ira came to like Science. This is learning by association.
Option (2) Learning attitudes through rewards and punishment — Incorrect. Here an attitude forms because a behaviour is praised or punished. The passage does not say Ira was praised or rewarded for showing interest in Science.
Option (3) Learning attitudes through modelling — Incorrect. In modelling, a person learns an attitude by observing others being rewarded or praised for it. Ira is not copying anyone here.
Option (4) Learning attitudes through exposure to information — Incorrect. Here an attitude forms from facts a person reads or hears. Ira's change came from her teacher.
NCERT (2026-27): “Process of Attitude Formation “• Learning attitudes by association : You might have seen that students often develop a liking for a particular subject because of the teacher. This is because they see many positive qualities in that teacher; these positive qualities get linked to the subject that s/he teaches, and ultimately get expressed in the form of liking for the subject. In other words, a positive attitude towards the subject is learned through the positive association between a teacher and a student.” |