Meaning of attitude :
The set of behavior and thoughts of a person that defines his character and conduct in his professional and personal life is called attitude. Attitude has a direct relationship with the social, educational, and moral behavior of a person. Its explanation is often given that the person’s actions, thoughts, and conduct should be taken into account. It also shows the influence of his earlier works on his social relations and his life. Attitudes help in understanding a person’s identity and his nature.
Definition of attitude :
According to Thurston, “The amount of positive and negative effects related to some psychoactive substances has been termed as enhancement.”
According to Freeman, “Attitude is the natural readiness to respond appropriately to certain circumstances, persons and things, which is learned and becomes a symbolic response of a particular person.”
Types of attitudes :
Generally, attitudes are classified in two ways, i.e. on the basis of pros and cons.
1. Positive attitudes (Emotional)
A person’s emotions and behavior are based on his beliefs. Whatever thing, person, institution, idea, religion or process they have faith in, their feelings are also positive or negative. In this Jugalbandhi, we can identify in which direction our thoughts and actions are going by the type of our beliefs. Thus, our emotions lead us in the direction we believe. Therefore, we should always try to think and act positively to make our emotions positive and excited.
2. Negative attitudes (Prohibitive)
Many times we dislike a political party, process, place, caste or person. For that a feeling of hatred arises in our mind. We become disappointed, distrust them and try to distance ourselves from them. This may be a sign of negative and negative behavior. With this thinking, the outlook of our thinking and behavior is negative.
Characteristics of attitude :
Following are the characteristics of attitude-
1. Attitude is a person’s natural readiness towards an object or process.
2. It is a natural quality which is present in the personality of every person.
3. Its form is itself and has one form.
4. Attitude reflects a person’s nature and strengthens his personality.
5. It is always changing. Making changes in life and improving oneself is an important part of attitude.
6. It directs the individual in a specific direction.
7. Attitude leads a person towards his goals and keeps him on the right path.
8. It indicates a person-object relationship and the main characteristic of this relationship is its directionality, which is evidenced by the reactions of likes and dislikes.
9. Attitudes influence a person’s beliefs and thoughts and are the result of his life beliefs.
10. It is usually related to feelings and emotions.
11. Emotions and enthusiasm have an important place in attitude which helps a person to move towards his goal.
Dimensions of attitude :
Important elements of attitude are considered in detail. Special attention is paid to the key qualities of direction, intensity, openness, stability, and general versus personal –
1. Direction: The direction of attitude is always expressed in its pros and cons. This makes it clear in which direction the person is tending and in which area his emotions are stable.
2. Intensity: The intensity of an attitude depends on its emotional and economic level. It helps in expressing the emotions and interests of the person.
3. Openness: It reflects a feeling of freedom and confidence in attitude. There is a need to understand the individual’s tendency towards attitude here.
4. Stability: It introduces the ability to keep it stable and restrained. The stability of a person’s attitude in different circumstances makes his circumstances perfect.
5. General vs. Personal: It is an important parameter to consider the context of displaying attitude in both the situations. It generally reveals a person’s behavior and standard of living.
Need for attitude measurement :
Despite students having intelligence and ability, if they lack good attitude towards class work, their education level may decrease. Interest towards the subject motivates students to learn. The relationship between teacher and students, school, classes, and good attitudes towards various subjects are helpful in achieving the goals of the teacher.
Due to the distorted attitudes of the students, a feeling of indifference and rebellion towards school and education emerges. Which may hinder the achievement of educational goals. Therefore, it is widely important to evaluate the intelligence and aptitude of the students. Measuring attitudes is as important for a teacher as understanding the attitudes of students. Aptitude measurement depends on the following points: –
• Evaluates the student’s subject achievements and learning styles.
• Aptitude is considered as the main objective of education. Students remember those things towards which they have positive attitudes, and forget those things towards which they have distorted attitudes.