Juanita has returned home after being away for several years. When she sees her father, whom she thought she disliked, she hugs him and cries. Based on her reaction, she determines that she must like him more than she thought. This is most consistent with the ________ theory of attitudes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The self-perception theory of attitudes suggests that we infer our attitudes from our observable behavior and task performance, rather than having them as pre-existing cognitive or affective states. In this scenario, Juanita's behavior (hugging her father and crying) is used to infer her positive attitude towards him, which she previously thought she disliked.

Juanita Has Returned Home After Being Away for Several Years