Strategic Attitude Shifting

intermediate2 min readpolitics · psychology · sociology · business

Strategic attitude shifting occurs when decision makers adjust their public attitudes to match the views of a powerful, committed audience to gain approval. This behavior is efficient and expedient when the audience's views are known and the cost of shifting is low, but it can sometimes lead to internalization of the endorsed position.

THE IDEA

Strategic Attitude Shifting

Decision makers are predicted to adjust their public attitudes toward the views of the anticipated audience when the approval motive is strong. Ideally, the evaluative audience should be perceived to be powerful, firmly committed to its position, and intolerant of other positions. Strategic attitude shifting is viable, however, only to the degree that decision makers think they know the views of the anticipated audience. Attitude shifting becomes psychologically costly to the degree that it requires compromising basic convictions and principles (stimulating dissonance) or back-tracking on past commitments (making decision makers look duplicitous, hypocritical, or sycophantic). Lerner and Tetlock (1999) reviewed evidence that indicates that when these obstacles have been removed and the facilitative conditions are present, attitude shifting serves as a cognitively efficient and politically expedient means of gaining approval that does not undermine the decision maker’s self-concept as a moral and principled being, or his or her reputation for integrity in the wider social arena. Moreover, people are sometimes “taken in” by their own self-presentational maneuvering, internalizing positions they publicly endorse. Strange as it sounds, strategic shifting can occasionally be sincere.

When to use it

In political campaigns, candidates shift their rhetoric to match the preferences of different voter groups.
In workplace meetings, employees may adopt the views of powerful managers to gain approval and avoid conflict.
In sales and marketing, representatives tailor their pitches to align with the values of potential clients.
In social settings, individuals adjust their expressed attitudes to fit in with a new group or to avoid social rejection.

FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE

In practice

Politician Appealing to Constituents

A politician running for office in a district with strong conservative views publicly adopts conservative stances on key issues, even though she personally holds more moderate views. She tailors her speeches and campaign materials to align with the audience's expectations, effectively using strategic attitude shifting to gain approval and votes.

Employee in a New Job

A new employee quickly learns that the team leader favors a particular approach to problem-solving. To gain the leader's approval and fit in, the employee begins to advocate for that approach in meetings, even though he initially preferred a different method. Over time, he may come to genuinely believe in the team leader's approach.

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A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Put it to work.

Think of a time when you expressed an opinion that differed from your private belief to please an audience. What motivated you, and how did you feel afterward?
Under what conditions might strategic attitude shifting be least psychologically costly for a decision maker?
How can you distinguish between sincere attitude change and mere compliance in yourself or others?