A person with a somewhat positive attitude towards empowerment of wom…

A person with a somewhat positive attitude towards empowerment of women reads about a successful woman, and the attitude becomes more positive. Which type of attitude change is this?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 3

The correct answer is Option (3) → Congruent change

Option (1) Cognitive dissonance — Incorrect. Cognitive dissonance is Festinger's idea that the cognitive parts of an attitude must be consistent; a clash makes us change one of them. It is a theory of why attitudes change.

Option (2) Incongruent change — Incorrect. An incongruent change moves opposite to the existing attitude, such as a positive attitude becoming less positive or negative. Here the attitude grows stronger in its own direction.

Option (3) Congruent change — Correct. A congruent change moves in the same direction as the existing attitude. A positive attitude becoming more positive fits this.

Option (4) Two-step change — Incorrect. The two-step concept (Mohsin) says the target first identifies with the source, and the source then shows the change itself. It explains how change happens.

NCERT (2026-27): “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). In the example just given, after reading about successful women, a person may think that women might soon become too powerful, and neglect their family responsibilities. This may make the person’s existing positive attitude towards empowerment of women, less positive, or even negative. If this happens, then it would be a case of incongruent change. …”

A person with a somewhat positive attitude towards empowerment of women reads about a successful woman, and the attitude becomes more positive. Which type of attitude change is this?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 3

The correct answer is Option (3) → Congruent change

Option (3) Congruent change — Correct. A congruent change moves in the same direction as the existing attitude. A positive attitude becoming more positive fits this.