Abstract: | Factors which influence attitude change were investigated by determining attitudes of non-Catholic college Ss to the possibility of their becoming Catholic. These attitudes were then explored under 2 subsequent experimental conditions defined by a willingness to participate further in the project. If willing, they were forced to realize the meaning of their written attitudes. The results indicated an interactive effect with increased change of opinion or resistance to change. This was determined by the degree of option to participate in interaction while being forced to recognize the implications of the meaning of their written statements. Awareness of meaning in interaction with freedom to participate or not produced the greatest attitude change; interaction with no freedom produced the greatest resistance to change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |