Skip to main content

Perspectives in Psychology: XXIII Definition of Opinion, Attitude and Belief

The Psychological Record volume 15, pages 281–288 (1965)Cite this article

Abstract

Redefinition of the terms opinion, attitude, and belief is recommended to fit operational possibilities. Opinions are synthetic self-referent statements which can be composed for a Q-sample; a Q-sort models a person’s attitude of mind about a situation. Factors are attitudes of mind held in common by many people. Their explanation reaches into latent belief-systems, requiring explanation in psychodynamic terms. Thus, there may be innumerable opinions, few attitudes of mind, and very few belief-systems. Attitudes of mind are immediate and concern self-psychology; beliefs are early internalizations and concern ego-psychology.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • ALMOND, G. A. & VERBA, S. The civic culture: Political attitudes and democracy in five nations. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Univer. Press, 1963.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ALLPORT, G. W. Attitudes. In E. Murchison (Ed.), Handbook of social psychology. Worcester: Clark Univer. Press, 1935., Pp. 798–844.

    Google Scholar 

  • ERIKSON, E. H. Childhood and society. New York: Norton, 1950.

    Google Scholar 

  • ERIKSON, E. H. Young man Luther: A study in psychoanalysis and history. New York: Norton, 1958.

    Google Scholar 

  • GREEN, B. Attitudes and opinions. In Gardner Lindzey (Ed.), Handbook of social psychology, Volume I. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1954. Pp. 335–369.

    Google Scholar 

  • HARTLEY, E., HARTLEY, R. E. & HART, C. Attitudes and opinions. In W. Schramm (Ed.), The process and effects of mass communication. Urbana: Univer. of Illinois Press, 1955. pp. 216–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • KLAPPER, J. T. The effects of mass communication. Glencoe, Ill.: The Free Press, 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  • KRECH, D. & CRUTCHFIELD, R. Theory and problems of social psychology. New York: McGraw–Hill, 1948.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • MCNEMAR, Q. Opinion-attitude methodology. Psychol. Bull., 1946, 43, 289–374.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MOSCOVICI, S. Attitudes and opinions. In P. R. Farnsworth (Ed.), Annual review of psychology, Volume 14. Palo Alto: Annual Reviews, Inc., 1963. Pp. 231–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • MOSEL, J. N. Transitional Thailand. In L. W. Pye (Ed.), Communications and political development. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Univer. Press, 1963. Chap. 12.

    Google Scholar 

  • OLDFIELD, R. C. The psychology of’ the interview. London: Methuen, 1947.

    Google Scholar 

  • PYE, L. W. Politics, personality and nation building. New Haven: Yale Univer. Press, 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  • RAWLINS, M. J. A Q-methodological study of some effects of a fictional and a documentary treatment of a controversial issue. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Univer. of Missouri, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  • STEPHENSON, W. The study of behavior: Q-technique and its methodology. Chicago: Univer. of Chicago Press, 1953.

    Google Scholar 

  • STEPHENSON, W. Public images of public utilities. J. advertising Res., 1963, 3, 34–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • STEPHENSON, W. Application of Q-method to the measurement of public opinion. Psychol. Rec., 1964, 14, 265–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • STEPHENSON, W. Application of the Thompson schema to the current controversy over Cuba. Psychol. Rec., 1964, 14, 275–290. (a)

    Google Scholar 

  • STEPHENSON, W. Prescription for public health service images. Report to the Director of Public Health, Public Health Service, State of Missouri, Jefferson City, Missouri, 1964 (b).

    Google Scholar 

  • STOUFFER, S. A. Social research to test ideas. Glencoe, Ill.: The Free Press, 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  • THURSTONE, L. L. Attitudes can be measured. Amer. J. Sociol., 1928, 33, 529–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WIEBE, G. D. The Army-McCarthy hearings and the public conscience. P. O. Q., 1959, 22, 490–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Missouri, USA

    William Stephenson

Authors
  1. William Stephenson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Stephenson, W. Perspectives in Psychology: XXIII Definition of Opinion, Attitude and Belief. Psychol Rec 15, 281–288 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393596

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393596