Social judgement theory
Social judgment theory is a social psychological theory that explains how individuals form judgments and make decisions about social issues or attitudes. The theory proposes that individuals have a range of potential judgment positions or attitudes on a particular issue, called latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and non-commitment. These latitudes represent the range of ideas or attitudes a person finds acceptable, unacceptable, or is neutral towards.
According to the theory, individuals evaluate incoming information or judgments based on their preexisting attitudes and beliefs. This evaluation process is influenced by three main factors:
1. Ego-involvement: The degree to which the issue is personally relevant to the individual. When an issue is highly ego-involved, individuals tend to have a narrower latitude of acceptance and are less likely to change their attitudes.
2. Contrast: The extent to which the incoming judgment is different from the individual's existing attitude. Larger contrasts result in greater resistance to change, whereas smaller contrasts may lead to attitude change.
3. Assimilation: The tendency to perceive incoming judgments as closer to one's own attitudes than they actually are. This occurs because individuals tend to interpret new information in line with their existing beliefs.
The central idea of social judgment theory is that people will evaluate and accept incoming information based on how it fits within their existing judgment latitudes. If the information falls within their latitude of acceptance, individuals are more likely to be persuaded and adopt the new attitude. If the information falls outside their latitude of acceptance, individuals may reject it or engage in different coping strategies such as selective exposure to information that confirms their existing attitudes.
Overall, social judgment theory provides insight into the cognitive processes involved in forming and changing attitudes. It suggests that individuals are not blank slates and are resistant to change, instead evaluating new information through their own subjective lens.