What does attitude accessibility measure?

Attitude accessibility refers to how readily an attitude can be retrieved from memory when it is needed. When we say that attitude accessibility measures the strength of association between an attitude object and a person, we are emphasizing that highly accessible attitudes are strongly linked to the individual’s thoughts and feelings about that object, making them more likely to influence behavior and decision-making in relevant situations.

For instance, if a person has a strong, accessible attitude towards a specific brand of soda, they will quickly recall that attitude when they encounter it in a store, influencing their purchasing behavior. This concept is vital in understanding how attitudes function in guiding actions and reactions in social contexts.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of attitude accessibility. The duration of time an attitude is held relates more to stability than accessibility. The circumstances under which attitudes are developed refer to the origins of those attitudes, while acceptance towards societal norms focuses on social compliance rather than personal attitude retrieval. Thus, the first option clearly defines what attitude accessibility measures.