Attitudes changing in the same direction irrespective of it being positive or negative are said to be:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Congruent
Option (1) Congruent — Correct. A congruent change is in the same direction as the existing attitude: a positive attitude becomes more positive, or a negative attitude more negative. A person somewhat positive about the empowerment of women who becomes more positive after reading about a successful woman shows a congruent change.
Option (2) Incongruent — Incorrect. An incongruent change goes in a direction opposite to the existing attitude: a positive attitude becomes less positive or negative, or a negative one less negative or positive.
Option (3) Neutral — Incorrect. Neutral describes an attitude that is neither positive nor negative, a point on the scale, not a direction of change.
Option (4) Complex — Incorrect. Complexity, or multiplexity, is a property of an attitude: how many smaller attitudes it contains. It does not describe the direction in which an attitude changes.
NCERT (2025-26): “Factors that Influence Attitude Change … In addition, one must also consider the direction and extent of attitude change. An attitude change may be congruent — it may change in the same direction as the existing attitude (for example, a positive attitude may become more positive, or a negative attitude may become more negative). For instance, suppose a person has a somewhat positive attitude towards empowerment of women. Reading about a successful woman may make this attitude more positive. This would be a congruent change. On the other hand, an attitude change may be incongruent — it may change in a direction opposite to the existing attitude (for example, a positive attitude becomes less positive, or negative, or a negative attitude becomes less negative, or positive).…” |