What does the principle of aggregation suggest about attitudes and behaviors?

Disable ads (and more) with a premium pass for a one time $4.99 payment

Prepare for the MCAT Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The principle of aggregation indicates that while individual attitudes may not consistently predict specific isolated behaviors, they can predict overall average behaviors when aggregated across many situations or instances. This suggests that a person's attitudes influence their behavior in a general sense rather than in every single action or response.

For instance, an individual may have a positive attitude towards healthy eating, but this does not mean they will make healthy choices every single time they eat. However, over a broader range of meals and occasions, their average behavior is likely to align more closely with their positive attitude, leading to healthier eating patterns generally. This principle emphasizes the importance of considering attitudes in the context of overall behavioral trends rather than isolated events, aligning with the correct choice in this scenario.