1. PSYC 126
PERSONALITY ENHANCEMENT
Chapter 3 ATTITUDE
Attitude - outlook on life—how you respond to people and events.
- it drives your behavior.
- Developed as a result of emotion.
- Has a powerful influence on the attitudes of others.
Behavior – a manner of acting or reacting under a general set of
circumstances.
Three important things to remember about attitude:
1. Only you control what you think
2. Attitudes can and do change over time
3. Your attitude affects others.
Emotion – a state of feeling or a conscious mental reaction (positive
or negative) toward a specific object, person, or event.
BENEFITS OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
A positive attitude:
Says to others, “I can achieve
success!”
Is liberating
Helps you achieve goals and
attain success.
Builds great inner power and
strength
Empowers you to succeed faster
and more easily.
Helps you see the glass as “half
full” instead of “half empty”
Gives you more energy Enables you to overcome
difficulties
Inspires and motivates others Leads to greater happiness in life
and work.
STEPS TO IMPROVING YOUR ATTITUDE:
 Visualize the attitudes you want to improve.
 Resolve to adopt those attitudes you want to improve.
 Use the image of the “ideal you” as a model for your
behavior.
 Choose to create a positive atmosphere around you.
 Surround yourself with positive people.
 Celebrate your successes.
BANISH NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
Your attitudes can dramatically affect your health. Next time you feel
negative, try the following:
 Sit up or stand up straight, shoulders back.
 Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
 Laugh aloud.
 Focus on what is good.
 Take care of yourself.
PRODUCTIVE VS. UNPRODUCTIVE ATTITUDES
Productive Attitudes Unproductive Attitudes
Enthusiastic
Confident
Kindhearted
Supportive
Helpful
Envious
Disrespectful
Conceited
Apathetic
Rude
Cheery
Interested
Considerate
Easy-going
Patient
Friendly
Engaging
Fearful
Sarcastic
Angry
Agitated
Impatient
Pessimistic
Anxious
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
 Attitude is your outlook on life, which is guided by your
mind and drives your behavior. You (and only you) can
determine your attitude.
 Attitudes, which are developed as a result of emotion, are
very complex and develop over time.
 Attitudes are affected by negative circumstances, which
drag you down rather than lift you up. Negative situations
will end and are not all-encompassing. You will work
through difficult situations and problems and move on
with your life.
 Steps for improving your attitude include visualizing and
adopting the attitudes you want to improve, using the
image of the “ideal you” as a model for your behavior,
choosing to create a positive atmosphere around you, and
surrounding yourself with positive people.
 Attitudes are said to be contagious. One person’s attitude
has a powerful influence on the attitudes of others.
 Learn to recognize negative attitudes which are
unproductive and not worth your energy—anger,
impatience, conceit, and boredom are but a few examples.
 Others will challenge you with their negative attitudes and
behaviors. But you have the power to help them improve
their self-esteem and replace negative attitudes with
positive attitudes.
Reference:
Masters, L.A., et al. (2011). Personal Development for Work and Life.
Cengage Learning Asia Pte. Ltd.
Prepared by:
Mrs. Maria Angela L. Diopol
Instructor