This article introduces the Attitudinal Entropy (AE) framework, which builds on the Causal Attitude Network model that conceptualizes attitudes as Ising networks. The AE framework rests on three propositions. First, attitude inconsistency and instability are two related indications of attitudinal entropy, a measure of randomness derived from thermodynamics. Second, energy of attitude configurations serves as a local processing strategy to reduce the global entropy of attitude networks. Third, directing attention to and thinking about attitude objects reduces attitudinal entropy. We first discuss several determinants of attitudinal entropy reduction and show that several findings in the attitude literature, such as the mere thought effect on attitude polarization and the effects of heuristic versus systematic processing of arguments, follow from the AE framework. Second, we discuss the AE framework’s implications for ambivalence and cognitive dissonance.

中文翻译：

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态度熵（AE）框架作为个人态度的一般理论

本文介绍了态度熵（AE）框架，该框架建立在因果态度网络模型上，该模型将态度概念化为Ising网络。AE框架基于三个命题。首先，态度的不一致和不稳定是态度熵的两个相关指标，态度熵是一种从热力学得出的随机性度量。第二，姿态配置的能量用作减少姿态网络全局熵的局部处理策略。第三，将注意力集中在姿态对象上并加以思考可减少态度熵。我们首先讨论态度熵减少的几个决定因素，并表明态度文献中的一些发现，例如单纯的思想对态度极化的影响以及启发式与系统性论证处理的影响，遵循AE框架。其次，我们讨论AE框架对矛盾和认知失调的影响。