Changing Attitudes

There are countless ways in which vested others (e.g., corporations, politicians, industries) try to change our attitudes toward a variety of issues or products. For example, advertising agencies attempt to persuade consumers to purchase certain products through the use of large, expensive advertisements. Politicians often try to persuade citizens that changing their attitude toward a political issue is in the citizen's best interest. Changing an attitude toward a particular issue can affect a person's behavior. However, changing attitudes is not easy. The process of attitude change is complicated and can occur through multiple direct or indirect routes. Consider someone who needs to change his or her attitude toward a health-related issue in order to improve his or her own health. How challenging might this task be, and what are some implications if they do not change their attitude?

For this Discussion, select one of the following three social problems: (1) smoking, (2) obesity, or (3) global warming. Consider the population to whom you might want to address this social problem. Think about how you might change the attitudes toward these issues in the population you selected.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief description of the social problem you selected. Select a population in which you might want to address this social problem and explain why. Then justify one approach you might use to change current attitudes within this population. Finally, explain one challenge you might face in attempting to change the attitudes of this population and one way you might address that challenge. Be sure to support your responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.