Ira and her cousin Dhruv grew up in the same town. In Class 7, both of them disliked Science. In Class 8, Ira moved to a new school. Her Science teacher there, Mrs. Rao, was warm, patient and kind, and Ira looked forward to her classes. By Class 9, Ira liked Science about as strongly as she had once disliked it. Dhruv's Science teacher was harsh and often impatient, and Dhruv still dislikes the subject. Their grandmother says the two children were just born with these likes and dislikes.
Which process of attitude formation best explains how Ira came to like Science?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Learning attitudes by association
Option (1) Learning attitudes by reward and punishment — Incorrect. Here an attitude grows stronger because showing it brings praise or reward, or weaker because it brings punishment. Ira gets no reward for liking Science in the passage.
Option (2) Learning attitudes through modelling — Incorrect. In modelling, a person learns an attitude by observing others being rewarded or punished for showing it. Ira does not watch anyone else being praised for liking Science.
Option (3) Learning attitudes by association — Correct. Ira found good qualities in her teacher, and these qualities got linked to the subject she teaches. The link shows up as liking for Science, which is learning by association.
Option (4) Learning attitudes through group or cultural norms — Incorrect. Here people take on attitudes from the norms of their group or culture, the unwritten rules about what one should think or do. No group rule about Science appears in the passage.
NCERT (2026-27): “Process of Attitude Formation … |