A critical assessment of the construct of attitude in sociolinguistics: A socio-psychological insight (Part 2) Cover Image

A critical assessment of the construct of attitude in sociolinguistics: A socio-psychological insight (Part 2)
A critical assessment of the construct of attitude in sociolinguistics: A socio-psychological insight (Part 2)

Author(s): Krzysztof Przygoński
Subject(s): Language studies, Sociolinguistics, Social psychology and group interaction
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: sociolinguistics; language attitude; attitude-behaviour relations; the theory of planned behaviour;

Summary/Abstract: The present article constitutes the second part of a brief critical analysis of the research on attitude and attitude-(speech) behaviour relations. Its major aim is to show that the contribution from the socio-psychological paradigm can prove relevant and valuable when applied to sociolinguistic research on attitude and attitude-behaviour relations. The author argues that attitudinal investigations in sociolinguistics, despite their popularity and rich history, frequently suffer from a number of methodological and theoretical flaws. The author advances an argument that a reconceptualization of the construct of attitude and some additional methodological principles can help refine the whole paradigm of language attitude research. Specifically, it is pointed out that a cognitive/information-processing approach to attitude formation, the theory of planned behaviour and other theoretical and methodological insights discussed in this paper can prove immensely rewarding and can give a new impetus for further research.

  • Issue Year: 138/2021
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 65-74
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: English