Relationship of Attitudes and Behavior in Ecological Mobility

Abstract

T n HE measuring of attitudes has been and is one of the most persistent endeavors of social scientists, particularly psychologists, social-psychologists, and sociologists. Presumably, attitudes are measured because it is assumed that if these anticipatory sets or predispositions to action can be ascertained, the behavior which they determine may be predicted. However, few empirical studies have been made where the relationship has been tested by quantification of overt behavior by means of a scale and the correlation of scores on the behavior scale with scores on a scale measuring attitudes related to the overt behavior. The problem of the relationship between attitudes and behavior also has relevance for the theory of ecology. The socio-cultural position in ecology-that volition and purpose must be considered as important and integral aspects of spatial adaptation and not merely inconsequential and adventitious features of the competitive process' assumes that attitudes and behavior are related. Firey, for example, in his study of Boston,2 demonstrates the relevance of values and attitudes by inference from such empirical data as economic and ecological indices. Hawley, however, leaning more toward the orthodox ecological position, questions the accuracy of these conclusions when he states, Firey's reasoning confuses motive with an external limiting factor.3 The present study attempts to determine the relationship between attitudes and behavior in ecological mobility. Methodologically it seeks to minimize problems of inferential reasoning and to diminish the spread between data and interpretation by applying both attitude and behavior scales to the same individuals and then correlating the scores. In order to determine possible effects of external limiting factors on the attitude-action relationship the scales were applied to nine different populations inhabiting three different cities in different regions of the United States and eight different areas within the cities. If external limiting factors do affect the relationship between attitudes and behavior in mobility behavior, the correlation between attitudes and behavior should be affected by changing external limiting factors. Attitude-behavior studies have produced mixed results. Research in race relations does not encourage the belief that attitudes and behavior are closely related.4 On the other hand, good results have been achieved by some surveys of public opinion in predicting voting behavior from a premeasurement of voting attitudes.5 It has been suggested that the explanation of why attitudes seem to be able to predict behavior in the latter cases, but not in the former, may be attributable to differences between the situations in which attitude tests are given and the situations in which attitudes are translated into action. The problem here would seem to be to determine if mobility is a type of activity wherein a high correlation between attitudes and behavior may be expected. The hypothesis to be tested may be stated in the following form: and behavior are not related in mobility behavior. *Presented at the annual meeting of the Ohio Valley Sociological Society, March 20, 1954. Much of the data on which this paper is based is from a study of urban decentralization in Columbus, Houston, and Seattle. The research was supported by a grant from the Highway Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D. C. 1 Cf. Walter Firey, Land Use in Central Boston (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1947), p. 13. 2 Op. cit. 3 Amos H. Hawley, Human Ecology: A Theory of Community Structure (New York: The Ronald Press, 1950), p. 286. 4 Cf. Richard T. La Piere, Attitudes vs. Actions, Social Forces, 13 (December, 1934) pp. 230-37; also cf. Melvin Seeman, Prejudice and Personality: A Study in the Social Psychology of Attitudes. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Ohio State University, 1947, p. 136. 5 Cf. Paul F. Lazarsfeld, The People's Choice (New York: Columbia University Press, 1948).