ABSTRACT
Since the mid-1980s, social psychologists have exhibited a renewed interest in attitude functions. This renewal of interest is a testament that the question, “What are attitudes good for?” is an enduring one for social psychologists. The rebirth of interest in attitude functions reflects a more general renewal of pragmatism in social psychology, demonstrated by concerns with the functionality of various social cognitions and behaviors (e.g., Kowalski, 1996; Roese, 1994; Roese & Olson, 1995). Buss (1996), for instance, made a strong case that understanding functionality is critical to advancing the understanding of any psychological phenomenon.
