An attitudinal fix refers to solving a problem or resolving a conflict by bringing about an
attitude
Attitude may refer to:
Philosophy and psychology
* Attitude (psychology), an individual's predisposed state of mind regarding a value
* Metaphysics of presence
* Propositional attitude, a relational mental state connecting a person to a pro ...
change.
Persuasion
Persuasion or persuasion arts is an umbrella term for Social influence, influence. Persuasion can influence a person's Belief, beliefs, Attitude (psychology), attitudes, Intention, intentions, Motivation, motivations, or Behavior, behaviours.
...
,
mediation
Mediation is a structured, interactive process where an impartial third party neutral assists disputing parties in resolving conflict through the use of specialized communication and negotiation techniques. All participants in mediation are ...
,
diplomacy
Diplomacy comprises spoken or written communication by representatives of states (such as leaders and diplomats) intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. 1 ...
, and consciousness raising campaigns are ways of doing this. Only problems or conflicts which involve feelings, emotions, and associated value judgments—that is attitudes—are amenable to such fixes. Thus engineering problems—ones set entirely in the physical environment and / or involving controlling nature—can not be solved by finding an attitudinal fix: their solution must involve a
technological fix
A technological fix, technical fix, technological shortcut or (techno-)solutionism refers to attempts to use engineering or technology to solve a problem (often created by earlier technological interventions).
Some references define technologi ...
. Many problems or conflicts involve both attitudes / values and engineering / technological aspects, and these quite different aspects can interact and be intertwined in complex ways. Here
problem solving
Problem solving is the process of achieving a goal by overcoming obstacles, a frequent part of most activities. Problems in need of solutions range from simple personal tasks (e.g. how to turn on an appliance) to complex issues in business an ...
/ conflict resolution can be accomplished by seeking either attitudinal fixes, technological fixes, or a combination of both. Not surprisingly, some people prefer one type of solution over the other. Thus in seeking to end a war, some may prefer a negotiated settlement (an important part of which may rest on attitudinal fixes), whereas others may seek a military solution (built on technological fixes).
See also
*
Attitude change Attitudes are associated beliefs and behaviors towards some object. They are not stable, and because of the communication and behavior of other people, are subject to change by social influences, as well as by the individual's motivation to maint ...
*
Attitude (psychology)
In psychology, attitude is a psychological construct that is a mental and emotional entity that inheres or characterizes a person, their attitude to approach to something, or their personal view on it. Attitude involves their mindset, outlook an ...
*
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of conflict and retribution. Committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information abou ...
*
Structural fix A structural fix refers to solving a problem or resolving a conflict by bringing about structural changes that change the underlying structures that provoked or sustain these problems. According to Heberlein such changes modify human behavior by r ...
References
* Hovland, C. I., Janis, I. L. and Kelley, H. H. (1953) ''Communications and persuasion: Psychological studies in opinion change'', New Haven, CT: Yale University Press {{ISBN?
External links
The Attitudinal Fix Mentality from Project Worldview
Positive Attitudes Resources Attitude change
Problem solving methods