Social attitude

** ATTITUDE / MINDSET **

The mindset is described as an evaluation from various perspectives around the world.

The human mind holds immeasurable thoughts within it. Each individual has differing thoughts. These thoughts change according to time, place, and the way the mind functions. It is in this context that one can understand the mindset of individuals by assessing how they identify themselves. Their mindsets encompass both internal and external relationships. Mindsets are always formed in relation to certain people, groups, objects, or institutions. Therefore, mindsets are not internal factors unrelated to external influences. Instead, they arise from certain aspects of the environment.

A person is not born with a mindset but develops or learns it as they grow within society. Some mindsets are acquired directly from personal experience, while many others are acquired indirectly through learning, listening, or observing.

A mindset is a pre-determined attitude towards an object, place, living being, or relationship, in either an agreeable or opposing manner. In other words, it refers to the mental preparedness that prompts someone to think and act in a particular way towards something. Many have noted that mindsets are generally either positive or negative. Positive mindsets foster connections and relationships, while negative mindsets can lead to a lack of connection or the breaking of relationships.

Since mindsets are a state of mental readiness, they can be introduced through a person’s speech and behavior. Mindsets define not only what a person desires, chooses, expects, or limits but also what they dislike and avoid in unnecessary situations.

Thus, a person’s actions, whether in collaboration with or opposition to another person, society, or institutions, are influenced by their mindset.

A mindset consists of three components:

1. **Affective Component**: This component evaluates whether the emotions people experience towards an object are positive or negative.

2. **Behavioral Component**: This component indicates the intention behind the expression of a mindset through behavior.

3. **Cognitive Component**: This component represents what people know about the world, every object in it, and life, and how they understand them.

Although these three components are not necessarily interconnected, they are still considered distinct elements.


**Psychological Theories**

Psychologists discuss the formation and theories of attitudes. They cover a variety of aspects, including changes in attitudes.

1. **Learning Theory**
2. **Cognitive Dissonance Theory**
3. **Perception Theory**
4. **Expectancy-Value Theory**
5. **Cognitive Activation Theory**

Shelly suggests that learning is a skill found in humans. Attitudes are learned through three methods: imitation, conditioning, and reinforcement. Attitude change occurs through learning information or emotional shifts. Perception can create or change certain attitudes. Every person adopts only those attitudes that are useful and valuable. When a person understands a thought and begins to be motivated, attitude change happens.

Attitudes play a role in both individual psychological processes and social behavior. Therefore, in this world, attitude change leads to addressing issues like war, peace, and human rights, among others.

Attitudes have been identified from various perspectives: individual level, relational level, and social level. These attitudes, including direct attitudes, showcase how they manifest in humans.

**Individual Level and Direct Attitude**

Life is about struggles, finding joy in replacements, and being content with what one has. Every human possesses beliefs, successes, encouragements, efforts, expectations, detachment, and courage. Life events are imprinted in their psyche, revealing these attitudes.

When one fails to achieve something, disappointment, frustration, and sorrow push the mind to try something else. This behavior is known as "compensation" by psychologists. Every individual adopts this approach in life.

Therefore, a person must cultivate an attitude that motivates their thoughts and efforts. Through this, one can achieve a stable mental maturity and conduct.

**Social and Cultural Contexts and Direct Attitude**

Social attitude refers to how a person should behave in the society they belong to and how society views individual actions. Every individual emerges through social connections. Without humans, there is no society. Similarly, there is no isolated individual without society. Humans are capable and have an innate need to participate in social life. Society is not imposed on human nature but is an integral part of it. No one can live in isolation because they need others to fulfill their desires and needs. As Pascal Gilbert stated, "When like-minded individuals unite and strive for common goals, society emerges." An individual in society creates or learns common attitudes. Culture plays a significant role in forming these attitudes. Culture can be seen as the external manifestation of the mental attitude that forms the foundation for a better life. Edward Burnett says, "Culture is the totality that includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, and other capabilities and habits acquired by a person as a member of society."

When a person interacts with others and engages with cultural outcomes, social attitudes are formed. Social attitudes manifest as feelings of justice, hard work, unity, duty, rights, pride, enthusiasm, and struggle.

Human needs and consumption are intertwined. As needs increase over time, natural desires and mental states change accordingly. In today’s scenario, as human needs increase, one must develop the mental maturity to face them.

In today’s urban life, people have lost the joy of experiencing nature. In a life filled with sorrow and distress, a person lives mechanically, but sometimes changes occur within. Through social relationships, a person gains some bitter experiences. The development of science has led to a civilized lifestyle where people have even forgotten to appreciate nature, instead witnessing its destruction.

Psychological analysts approach life’s practical problems with a focus on fundamental principles. They note that the root causes of human suffering lie in the environment in which the mind develops, and the social relationships that emerge within this environment present obstacles, opportunities, and variations. Therefore, it is through material changes that these can be removed, enabling attitude changes, as noted by psychologists.riting...