Purpose: It is one thing to learn the science behind something as fundamental to our human experience as attitudes and beliefs; it is more challenging and ultimately more beneficial to apply that learning to the analysis of an attitude or belief you are particularly interested in. What have you observed in people (including yourself) that makes you wonder, "Why do people think that? How can someone believe that?" This assignment will help you gain insight not only into the psychological processes behind that person's thought process, but about the idea of attitude formation and maintenance as a whole.

Post (Due Friday by 11:59 pm CST): Drawing on this week's readings and resources, analyze a set of beliefs or attitudes held by one of the following: yourself, a parent or parents, your family as a whole, other relatives, your friends, a peer group, or your religion.

A belief that my family as a whole believes is that once graduated from high school, you must attend college at an university. I decided to attend college online here at Abilene Christian University, so I broke this rule but my attitude toward college is the same as a kid who is attending college in person. I am simply in college because I want to further my education and become successful. Although I don't believe that someone needs a college education to be successful my family does.

First describe the beliefs and attitudes. How do they appear to be interrelated? What underlying theme seems to connect them?

Then consider the following questions (explicitly respond to at least four of the following):

• What psychological functions do the beliefs and attitudes seem to be serving for the person or persons?
• Are the beliefs and attitudes consistent or inconsistent among themselves and/or with other beliefs and attitudes held by the same person or persons?
• Does any of the beliefs reflect the kinds of cognitive errors or biases discussed so far in the course?
• Can the beliefs and attitudes be characterized as progressive or orthodox, liberal or conservative? Do they reflect an underlying ideology about the nature of authority?
• What seems to be the source or sources of the beliefs and attitudes (e.g., a specific religious creed, socioeconomic circumstances, particular events, childrearing, personal psychopathology)?
• Can you envision anything that might change them? Do you think that changing them would be a good thing?
• Add any other comments or observations you wish.