ATTITUDES IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE - SPEAKERS OWN ORIENTATIONS

Attitudes are one of the central social psychological topics. They are predominantly studied as individual specific predispositions that det ermine evaluative reactions to particular objects. Following the work of discursive psychologists, the present study critically examines som e core assumptions of attitude theory. The focus is an constructions i n public discourse rather than individuals' isolated evaluations of ob jects in the world. A close-to-the-action analysis of a public discuss ion about a controversial ''erotic'' fair is presented, and the defini tions and practices of the participants themselves are used as the mai n ground for determining meaning. It is shown that the participants co nstructed specific versions of the fair and of themselves in providing a justificatory account of their assessment. Furthermore, it is shown that specific definitions of the attitude object make specific Kinds of arguments available.