Final answer:
The theory of changing attitudes explores how attitudes can be influenced and altered. The Yale attitude change approach and cognitive dissonance are examples of models that explain how attitudes can change. Persuasion can occur through the central and peripheral routes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of changing attitudes is a topic within social psychology that explores how attitudes can be influenced and altered. One model that describes the conditions under which people tend to change their attitudes is the Yale attitude change approach, which focuses on the features of the message source, content, and audience. Attitudes can be changed both internally through cognitive dissonance, where individuals feel tension when their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors conflict, and externally through persuasion, which involves communication aimed at changing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
When it comes to persuasion, there are two primary routes: the central route and the peripheral route. The central route relies on facts and information to persuade individuals, while the peripheral route uses cues like beauty, fame, and positive emotions. Both internal and external influences can shape and alter attitudes, and understanding these processes is important in the study of social psychology.