What is a key characteristic of explicit attitudes?

Explicit attitudes are defined by their accessibility and the ability of individuals to articulate them clearly. This characteristic makes explicit attitudes contrast with implicit attitudes, which operate below the level of conscious awareness. Individuals can readily reflect on their explicit attitudes, allowing them to express them verbally or through other means. For example, if someone holds an explicit attitude towards recycling, they can easily say they believe it is important to recycle and discuss their reasons for that belief.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of explicit attitudes. The first option suggests that explicit attitudes are difficult to identify, which contradicts their very nature, as they are accessible and easily articulated. The third option implies that explicit attitudes are highly volatile and subject to peer influence, while they can be influenced by social contexts, they typically reflect stable beliefs held by an individual. Lastly, the fourth option states that explicit attitudes are formed subconsciously, which is fundamentally misaligned with the definition of explicit attitudes, as they are consciously and actively formed beliefs. Thus, the defining feature of explicit attitudes is their clarity and ease of expression.