Read the passage and answer the following questions:
Polio was an epidemic in India in the 1970s. The government tried various ways to curb it, but the results were not impressive. Then Amitabh Bachchan was roped in to be the face of the Pulse Polio Campaign in India. The slogan of polio eradication campaign was "DO BOOND ZINDAGI KE" (Two drops of Life). He educated people on the various advantages of polio vaccination and appealed to them to actively participate in the drive. This brought positive change in people's attitude towards the polio vaccine. After that, Indians took the campaign seriously and actively participated in the polio vaccination drive. Due to the effectiveness of the drive, India has become a polio-free country. Till date, the people in India relate the voice of Amitabh Bachchan to the polio eradication campaign.
In general, which feature of attitude is related to positivity or negativity?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Valence
Option (1) Valence — Correct. Valence tells us whether an attitude is positive or negative towards the attitude object. On a 5-point scale from ‘Very bad’ to ‘Very good’, a rating of 4 or 5 shows a positive attitude and a rating of 1 or 2 a negative one; a rating of 3 is neutral.
Option (2) Multiplexity — Incorrect. Multiplexity (simplicity or complexity) is about how many attitudes there are within a broader attitude. An attitude towards health and well-being, for example, holds several smaller attitudes such as one’s idea of physical and mental health. It says nothing about the attitude being for or against.
Option (3) Centrality — Incorrect. Centrality is the role of a particular attitude in the attitude system. A central attitude has more influence on the other attitudes of the system than a peripheral one.
Option (4) Extremeness — Incorrect. Extremeness shows how positive or negative an attitude is, that is, its strength. A rating of 1 is as extreme as a rating of 5, only in the opposite direction; the direction itself is valence.
Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2025 on 21-05-2025 (Slot 1).
NCERT (2025-26): “Valence (positivity or negativity) : … The valence of an attitude tells us whether an attitude is positive or negative towards the attitude object. Suppose an attitude (say, towards nuclear research) has to be expressed on a 5-point scale, ranging from 1 (Very bad), 2 (Bad), 3 (Neutral — neither good nor bad), and 4 (Good), to 5 (Very good). If an individual rates her/his view towards nuclear research as 4 or 5, this is clearly a positive attitude. This means that the person likes the idea of nuclear research and thinks it is something good. On the other hand, if the rating is 1 or 2, the attitude is negative. This means that the person dislikes the idea of nuclear research, and thinks it is something bad.…” “Extremeness : … The extremeness of an attitude indicates how positive or negative an attitude is. Taking the nuclear research example given above, a rating of 1 is as extreme as a rating of 5 : they are only in the opposite directions (valence). Ratings of 2 and 4 are less extreme. A neutral attitude, of course, is lowest on extremeness.…” |