The positivity and negativity of an existing attitude points toward w…

The correct answer is Option (3) → Valence

Besides the affective, cognitive and behavioural components, attitudes have four significant features: valence, extremeness, simplicity or complexity, and centrality.

Option (1) Extremeness — Incorrect. Extremeness tells how positive or negative an attitude is, that is, its strength. On a 1 to 5 scale, a rating of 1 is as extreme as a rating of 5; they differ only in direction.

Option (2) Simplicity — Incorrect. Simplicity or complexity (multiplexity) refers to how many attitudes there are within a broader attitude; an attitude system with many smaller attitudes is complex.

Option (3) Valence — Correct. The valence of an attitude tells us whether the attitude is positive or negative towards the attitude object. Rating nuclear research as 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale shows a positive attitude; 1 or 2 shows a negative one.

Option (4) Centrality — Incorrect. Centrality refers to the role of a particular attitude in the attitude system. A central attitude influences the other attitudes much more than a peripheral one does.

Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2025 on 28-05-2025 (Slot 1).