Attitudes and Opinions
📘 About This Book
Notable advances resulting from new research findings, measurement approaches, widespread uses of the Internet, and increasingly sophisticated approaches to sampling and polling, have stimulated a new generation of attitude scholars. This extensively revised edition captures this excitement, while remaining grounded in scholarly research. Attitudes and Opinions, 3/e maintains one of the main goals of the original edition--breadth of coverage. The book thoroughly reviews both implicit and explicit measures of attitudes, the structure and function of attitudes, the nature of public opinion and polling, attitude formation, communication of attitudes and opinions, and the relationship between attitudes and behaviors, as well as theories and research on attitude change. Over 2,000 references support the book's scientific integrity. The authors' second goal is to demonstrate the relevance of the topic to people's lives. Subsequently, the second part of the book examines many of the topics and research findings that are salient in the world today--political and international attitudes (including terrorism), voting behavior, racism and prejudice, sexism and gender roles, and environmental attitudes. This thoroughly revised new edition features: *an entirely new chapter on implicit measures attitudes; *a new chapter on environmental attitudes; *updated opinion poll data throughout the book; *additional material on time trends in attitudes about many issues; and *expanded, updated sections on international attitudes reflecting the events of 9/11 and the subsequent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Attitudes and Opinions' broad and interdisciplinary perspective makes this an ideal text in courses on attitudes, public opinion, survey research, or persuasion, taught in a variety of departments including psychology, communication, marketing, sociology, and political science.
📖 Summary
Stuart Oskamp's Attitudes and Opinions, published in its third edition in 2005, stands as an exhaustive and deeply researched exploration of how human perspectives are formed, measured, and changed. Spanning nearly 600 pages, the volume captures the dynamic shifts within the field of attitude scholarship, driven by technological innovations such as the widespread adoption of the Internet, advanced sampling and polling techniques, and groundbreaking empirical research. The book balances rigorous academic grounding with an accessible overview of the forces that shape public sentiment in modern society. At its core, the text maintains the expansive breadth of coverage that defined its original iteration, ensuring that readers receive a holistic view of the discipline. Oskamp meticulously details both implicit and explicit measures of attitudes, providing a comprehensive look at how researchers quantify what people think and feel, even when those underlying sentiments operate beneath conscious awareness. The structural and functional aspects of attitudes are analyzed to explain why people hold specific viewpoints and how those perspectives serve various psychological needs. Furthermore, the book investigates the complex relationship between what individuals say they believe and how they actually behave, a central puzzle in both social psychology and market research. Public opinion and polling occupy a significant portion of the discourse, reflecting the growing importance of data collection in understanding collective behavior. By examining attitude formation and the myriad ways opinions are communicated, Oskamp illustrates the constant interplay between media, social environments, and personal conviction. Theories and research surrounding attitude change receive deep analytical attention, shedding light on the mechanisms of persuasion and behavioral modification. Supported by an impressive repository of over 2,000 scholarly references, this edition serves as a definitive resource for understanding the mechanics of human evaluation, making it an invaluable text for students, researchers, and professionals who need to comprehend the foundational drivers of public opinion and decision-making.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Extensive breadth of coverage spanning multiple aspects of attitude research
Incorporates modern advances like Internet-based methodologies and sophisticated polling
Thoroughly reviews both implicit and explicit measurement techniques
Backed by an impressive collection of over 2,000 scholarly references
⚠️ Cons
Dense academic style may feel overwhelming for casual readers
Lengthy volume requires a significant time commitment to fully digest
❓ FAQ
Who is the author of Attitudes and Opinions? +
The book was authored by Stuart Oskamp.
When was this third edition published? +
The third edition of Attitudes and Opinions was published in 2005.
How many pages does the book contain? +
The book spans 593 pages.
What major technological advancement influenced this edition? +
The widespread uses of the Internet, along with advanced sampling and polling methods, strongly influenced this edition.
Approximately how many references are included in the book? +
The text includes over 2,000 references supporting its academic framework.
