A Structural Theory of Attitude Dynamics

Abstract
If people seek congruence between their beliefs and feelings toward objects, then attitudes can be changed by modifying either the beliefs or feelings associated with them. The incongruity thereby aroused may, in the former case, result in the feeling changing to become consistent with the altered beliefs; in the latter case the beliefs may change to become consistent with the altered feeling. The first type of change has already been demonstrated in research studies. Experimental verification of the second type would lend support to the theoretical proposition that the disruption of structural consistency is a basic condition for the occurrence of attitude change. To test for the second type, changes in feeling toward objects were induced during hypnosis and in the posthypnotic sessions changes in belief were measured.