Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Pre-existing attitudes refer to the beliefs and opinions that individuals already hold before encountering new information. These attitudes can influence how individuals perceive and interpret new information.
Related terms
Confirmation bias: This is the tendency to seek out and favor information that confirms our pre-existing attitudes while ignoring or dismissing contradicting information.
Cognitive dissonance: It refers to the discomfort we feel when we hold conflicting beliefs or attitudes. We often try to reduce this discomfort by either changing our beliefs or seeking out information that supports them.
Selective exposure: This term describes our tendency to actively seek out sources of information that align with our pre-existing attitudes, while avoiding or ignoring opposing viewpoints.