Probably most of us at some point have had to hear from family or friends something related to the way we react to situations, without fully understanding what they wanted to tell us. Perhaps we frequently hear from others “what a bad attitude you have”, “what a negative/positive attitude you have today”, “I really like your attitudes”, “this is the attitude we need”.
Perhaps these or many other expressions that we cannot understand since we do not know very well how to identify the features of each type of attitude. That is why in this PsychologyFor article we share with you 20 types of human attitudes
What are personal attitudes according to psychology
Each of us has characteristics of response that differentiate us from others: some of us are more calm and stoic in the face of the unavoidable misfortunes of our own existence and perhaps others are their impulsive and irascible counterpart. These hateful traits of impatience or the traits of exemplary serenity are structured or formed from that genetic and environmental predisposition to which we are all exposed, without exception.
As the psychologist Floyd Allport (1955) mentions, an attitude is the mental and neurological disposition, which is organized from the experience that exerts a certain influence. on the individual’s reactions with respect to all objects and all situations that correspond to them.
How types of personal attitudes are configured
According to psychology, the attitude we present towards the outside (our environment) arises from this interaction between biological and hereditary factors (these responses are favored by the genetics of each subject – their temperament) and environmental factors such as learning throughout the individual’s life.
The attitude is then learned and inherited predisposition to respond in certain consistent ways whether in favor or not of the object (ideologies, customs, practices, religions and laws). This psychic disposition that arises from the assessment made of the external aims to generate a disposition that represents the internal foundations (biological and psychological) of the action. It then pursues the decision based on that cognitive, affective and biological integration.
What are the functions of personal attitudes
I think it is necessary to mention something that is eluded by many authors interested in researching the topic of human attitudes and that is that these attitudes, having action as their objective, have integrated all its components (cognitive, affective, behavioral and biological). ).
These actions cannot be entirely egosyntonic (actions that are in tune with the ego), but they are also involved in attitudes of an egodystonic nature (that are not in harmony with the ego): the attitudes they allow us to function and per se adapt
For example, I can manifest some types of “positive” attitudes, as colloquially recognized “an optimistic attitude “, to certain situations but that, in reality, do not fit or are not in tune with what I have learned or with the characteristic features of my temperament. However, only in this way would I be able to adapt easily. By recognizing the attitude in this way we could allude that sometimes one of its factors is prioritized (cognitive, affective or biological) while the others may be postponed.
Learn more about the types of attitudes in our article Characteristics of Attitudes.
20 types of human attitudes: list
The 20 main attitudes that people can present are the following:
1. Manipulative attitude
Whoever presents this type of manipulative attitude begins turning others into objects or sources of pleasure; These people build or structure their relationships with the motive of ensuring that everything works according to their desires or expectations, they use strategies to convince the other that they are acting under their own will.
2. Pessimistic attitude
This type of attitude is generally related to a high level of tolerance or flexibility, being benevolent begins to value and allow transgressions of one’s own assessments.
3. submissive attitude
In this type of attitude people they are posited as objects thus allowing others to be the responsible subjects and owners of their decisions. It works as a survival mechanism by allowing yourself security through care and sensitivity to others.
4. Positive attitude
It is frequently the type of attitude that is considered the most flattering of all the others; It is characterized by the beneficial perception or appreciation of different situations (regardless of whether they are difficult) and allows the person to feel stimulated to act confidently. In the following article you will know how to always have positive thinking.
5. Negative attitude
This attitude consists of a perception or interpretation of hopelessness, defeat, disappointment or subterfuges of realism. Frequently exacerbate difficult situations or existing problems and eludes or detracts from any aspect of optimism. It generally produces the opposite of a positive attitude: it stops or represses the action.
6. Aggressive attitude
In this type of attitude, action is usually taken in a matter of seconds and a impulsive act that pursues the achievement of the meaning of justice while ignoring that of others. Know the Characteristics of an aggressive person.
7. passive attitude
This type of attitude is characterized by little or no action.
8. Collaborative attitude
This type of attitude enables or requires frequent contact with others. Its objective is to help others achieve their goals.
9. Altruistic attitude
People who manifest the altruistic attitude carry out actions with objectives that provide benefits or benefits to another person, even when it may generate losses or have no benefit for themselves.
10. Emotional attitude
This type of attitude is frequently observed in people who base their relationships on the quality of their affection and that of others. This type of attitude is also characterized by the value or priority given to the emotional area, thus leading them to live each of their emotions with more intensity.
eleven. neutral attitude
This type of attitude is one that occurs infrequently and is characterized by not being contoured by affectivity or rationalities (neither pessimistic nor positive), they are usually objective with their decisions.
12. Rational/analytical attitude
This type of attitude generates in people the use of judgment or logic when estimating or evaluating situations. Often this type of attitude leads to attempts to hide or ignore emotions under rational (cognitive) justifications. However, managing emotions positively involves learning to feel and express them.
13. Trustworthy attitude
This type of attitude is observed in people who express acceptance of their own characteristics. Generally this attitude allows us to perceive the stimuli of pleasure or pain as a pedagogical intention. Confidence can be worked on and improved. Try the following tips to gain self-confidence.
14. Flexible attitude
People with a flexible attitude show acceptance of other people’s qualities or criteria without getting rid of their own. This attitude facilitates awareness of the reality principle; People recognize that life can take a very different course than planned and act in favor of themselves and their exterior. Allows rapid adaptation to changes.
15. Empathic attitude
This attitude of empathy is characterized by people who are aware of the existence of others and therefore understand, thanks to their own self-evaluation or introspection, that the behaviors of others also have an origin. They allow other people to listen and facilitate dialogue through their understanding, among many other benefits of developing an empathetic attitude.
16. Suspicious attitude
This type of attitude is characterized by excessive distrust of any type of stimulus; generally these people are alert to any type of grievance or attempted perjury.
17. Sardonic attitude
The sardonic attitude is characterized by a biting and incisive contact towards others. They fill the conversations they have with others with sarcasm or irony.
18. Inflexible attitude
It is characterized by a rigid pattern of behavior and thinking in which one expects that everything else is in tune with what one seeks and one suffers terribly when this is not the case.
19. Moralistic/prejudiced attitude
This type of attitude is characterized by concern for the ethical weight of one’s own actions and those of others. Generally, the person with a moralistic attitude is dedicated to monitoring the actions of others so that they do not fall foul of the principles or precepts that he or she manages.
20. Nihilistic attitude
In this type of attitude, all moral principles or social structures are rejected, maintaining the belief that existence itself and entirely lacks meaning or intrinsic purpose.
Other examples of types of human attitudes
To better understand some attitudes, we will show examples of 3 types of attitudes that are sometimes difficult to identify:
manipulative attitude
The determination to fulfill one’s own desires (egosyntonic) can even be quite hidden by actions that favor or appear to be of benefit to the other person.
For example, in a relationship between a mother and her children It can be seen that in those attitudes of protection, crying and self-denial of the mother, the interests of keeping one’s own demands aside are hidden: “-I sacrifice my needs so that you are well, in no other place will you be as safe as you are with me.” ».
The manipulative attitude has this characteristic of act for the apparent benefit of the other person Here you can act egodystonically to achieve the opposite.
Suspicious attitude
This attitude of general distrust can lead to serious pathologies such as the delusions, hiding it with the same inflexibility and security of one’s own beliefs. For example, in a family there may be a member who insists that the other members do not appreciate or value him enough and therefore seek to harm him and frustrate all of his plans.
This attitude usually goes accompanied by aggressive attitudes where the person counterattacks or defends himself against alleged attacks towards him.
Empathic attitude
This attitude of empathy is characterized by people who are aware of the existence of the other and therefore understand, thanks to their own self-evaluation or introspection, that the behaviors of others also have an origin
For example, being aware that the partner feels a lot of pain due to goodbyes or absence, one acts not in favor of pleasing his or her demands for constant presence but rather one respects and accompanies oneself so that he or she can heal and become more independent.
Now that you know what the types of attitudes in human beings are, you may be interested in knowing the Difference between attitude and aptitude.
This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Types of human attitudes: list and examples we recommend that you enter our Personality category.
Bibliography
Floyd HA (1955). Theories of perception and the concept of structure with an introduction to a dynamic structural theory of behavior. Wiley Publishing. New York.
