CBSE CLASS 12 PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 6 ATTITUDE AND SOCIAL COGNITION NCERT SOLUTIONS BOARD EXAM 2025

NCERT SOLUTIONS CBSE CLASS 12 PSYCHOLOGY ATTITUDE AND SOCIAL COGNITION BOARD EXAM 2025

This article provides comprehensive NCERT Solutions for Class XII Psychology, Chapter 6 ATTITUDE AND SOCIAL COGNITION This document will have both in-text and review questions for one subject, together with all exercise questions for another subject. Completing all NCERT questions is essential for all school and board examinations.

We offer Different Solutions which students from Class 11 & 12 face during their CBSE boards exam preparations and also during their CUET UG preparations. Please check them out:

CBSE CLASS 12 PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 6 ATTITUDE AND SOCIAL COGNITION NCERT SOLUTIONS BOARD EXAM 2025

CLASS 12 PSYCHOLOGY NCERT Solutions for  Chapter Chapter 6 ATTITUDE AND SOCIAL COGNITION 

See: Study like a topper - Join Humanitas Online Class 12 Batch

1. Define attitude. Discuss the components of an attitude.

Ans: Attitudes are a state of mind, a set of reviews or thoughts regarding a topic, which has evaluated features.

It is accompanied by an emotional component and a tendency to act in a particular way with regard to their attitude object. It has three components: [ABC]

• The thought component is referred to as the cognitive aspect [C]
• The emotional component is known as the affective aspect [A]
• The tendency to act is called the behavioral aspect or conative aspect [B]

For example, an individual has a positive view towards a green environment and thus supports a tree plantation drive. The individual feels very happy when they see greenery and feels sad and angry when trees are cut down. This will lead to the individual actively participating in the tree plantation campaign.

2. Are attitudes learnt? Explain how?

Ans: Attitudes are learnt through one’s own experiences and through interaction with others.

Process of attitude formation:

1. Learning attitudes by association:
   • For example, students often develop a liking for a particular subject because of the teacher. This is because they see many positive qualities in that teacher. These positive qualities get linked to the subjects that the teacher teaches, ultimately leading to a liking for the subject.
   • In other words, a positive attitude towards the subject is learned through the positive association between a teacher and a student.
2. Learning attitudes by being rewarded or punished:
   • If an individual is praised for showing particular attitudes, chances are high that they will develop that attitude further.
   • For example, if a teenager does Yoga asanas regularly and gets the honor of being “Miss Good Health” in her school, she may develop a positive attitude towards yoga and health in general.
   • Another example: If a child constantly falls ill because they eat junk food instead of proper meals, they are likely to develop a negative attitude towards junk food and a positive attitude towards eating healthy food.
3. Learning attitudes through modeling (observing others):
   • Often, attitudes are learned by observing others being rewarded or punished for expressing thoughts or showing behavior of a particular kind towards an attitude object.
   • For example, children may form a respectful attitude towards elders by observing that their parents show respect for elders and are appreciated for it.
4. Learning attitudes through group or cultural norms:
   • Norms are unwritten rules about behavior that everyone is supposed to show under specific circumstances.
   • Over time, these norms may become a part of our social cognition in the form of attitudes.
   • Learning attitudes through group or cultural norms may actually be an example of all three forms of learning described above:
     1. Learning through association
     2. Rewards or punishment
     3. Modeling
   • For example, offering money, sweets, fruits, and flowers in a place of worship is a normative behavior in some religions. When individuals see that such behavior is shown by others, is expected, and is socially approved, they may ultimately develop a positive attitude towards such behavior and the associated feelings of devotion.
5. Learning attitudes through exposure to information:
   • Many attitudes are learned in a social context, but not necessarily in the physical presence of others.
   • Today, with the huge amount of information provided through various media, both positive and negative attitudes are formed.
   • For example, by reading the biographies of self-actualized persons, an individual may develop positive attitudes towards hard work and perseverance as the means of achieving success in life.

3. What are the factors that influence the formation of an attitude?

Ans: Factors that influence attitude formation include:

1. Family & school environment
2. Reference groups
3. Personal experiences
4. Media-related influences
5. Family & school environment:
   • Particularly in the early years of life, parents and other family members play a significant role in shaping attitude formation.
   • Later, the school environment becomes an important background for attitude formation.
   • Learning of attitudes within the family and school usually takes place through association, rewards and punishments, and modeling.
6. Reference Groups:
   • Reference groups indicate to an individual the norms regarding acceptable behavior and ways of thinking.
   • They reflect the learning of attitudes through group or cultural norms.
   • Attitudes towards various topics, such as political, religious, and social groups, occupations, national, and other issues, are often developed through reference groups.
   • Their influence is especially noticeable during adolescence, when individuals seek belonging to a group.
7. Personal Experiences:
   • Direct personal experiences can bring about a drastic change in our attitude towards people and our own life.
   • For example, a driver in the army narrowly escaped death while all his companions were killed. Wondering about the purpose of his own life, he gave up his job in the army, returned to his native village in Maharashtra, and worked as a community leader. Through this personal experience, he developed a strong positive attitude towards community service, which completely changed his village.
8. Media-related influences:
   • Technological advances have made audio-visual media and the internet powerful sources of information that lead to attitude formation and change.
   • School-level textbooks also influence attitude formation.
   • These sources strengthen the cognitive and affective components of attitudes and subsequently affect the behavioral component.
   • The media can exert both good and bad influences on attitudes. It makes people more informed, but it can also create consumerist attitudes or influence societal behavior positively or negatively.

4. Is behavior always a reflection of one’s attitude? Explain with a relevant example.

Ans: An individual’s attitudes may not always be exhibited through behavior. Likewise, one’s actual behavior may be contrary to one’s attitude towards a particular topic.

Psychologists have found that there is consistency between attitudes and behavior when:

• The attitude is strong and occupies a central place in the attitude system.
• The person is aware of their attitude.
• There is very little or no external pressure to behave in a particular way.
• The person’s behavior is not being watched or evaluated by others.
• The person believes that the behavior would have a positive consequence and, therefore, intends to engage in it.

Example: Environmental Attitude and Behavior

• Rohan, a college student, has a positive attitude towards environmental conservation. His attitude is reflected in his behavior:
  • He carries a reusable water bottle and coffee mug to reduce single-use plastic waste.
  • He participates in campus cleanup initiatives and encourages his friends to do the same.
  • He chooses to buy eco-friendly products and avoids products with excessive packaging.
• In contrast, his friend Karan has a neutral attitude towards environmental conservation. His behavior reflects his attitude:
  • He uses single-use plastic water bottles and disposable coffee cups.
  • He doesn’t participate in campus cleanup initiatives.
  • He buys products based on convenience and price without considering their environmental impact.

This example illustrates how attitude influences behavior. Rohan's positive attitude towards environmental conservation leads to pro-environmental behavior, while Karan's neutral attitude results in less environmentally conscious behavior.

5. Differentiate between prejudice and stereotype.

Ans:

• Prejudice involves strong emotions, while stereotypes involve cognitive processes.
• Prejudice is an attitude or opinion, whereas a stereotype is a mental representation or image of a group.
• Prejudice can lead to discriminatory behavior, while stereotypes can lead to biased perceptions and expectations.

6. Prejudice can exist without discrimination and vice versa. Comment.

Ans: Prejudice can exist without being shown in the form of discrimination. Similarly, discrimination can occur without prejudice.

• Whenever prejudice and discrimination exist, conflicts are likely to arise between groups within society.
• Our society has witnessed many instances of discrimination, both with and without prejudice, based on gender, religion, caste, disability, and illness (e.g., AIDS).
• Discriminatory behavior can sometimes be curbed by law, but the cognitive and emotional components of prejudice are more difficult to change.

See: Study like a topper - Join Humanitas Online Class 12 Batch

See: Study like a topper - Join Humanitas Online Class 12 Batch

NCERT Questions & Answers not only reinforce your comprehension of ideas and augment your learning but also serve as the foundation for all varieties of examination questions. The majority of the examination questions resemble those present in the NCERT. In certain instances, NCERT questions have appeared in examinations verbatim, without alterations.

Explore Other resources from Humanitas: 

• Syllabus for CBSE Board exams 2025
• Important Questions for CBSE Board Exams 2025
• Date sheet CBSE Board Exams 2025
• NCERT Books for CBSE Board Exams 2025
• Sample Question papers for CBSE Board Exams 2025
• Admit Card for CBSE Board Exams 2025
• Preparation strategy for CBSE Board Exams 2025
• CBSE Board Exams 2025 Overview