Ambivalence

Ambivalence is generally defined as holding simultaneously positive and negative evaluations toward the same object. The literature distinguishes among three types of ambivalence: cognitive, emotional, and cognitive-affective. Studies have shown that ambivalence impacts many aspects of attitude (temporal stability, resistance to persuasion, information-processing, reliability in predicting intentions and behaviors), but there is disagreement about the mechanisms underlying such effects, as well as about the best way to measure ambivalence. The concept of ambivalence has been used to investigate many different topics (e.g., politics, health, drugs, alcohol) and social targets, which is particularly relevant for intercultural communication given the role of intergroup attitudes in shaping social interactions. Interestingly, within two theoretical frameworks, ambivalence toward gender and societal groups is conceptualized as functional to the maintenance of the status quo. Clarifying the origins of attitudinal ambivalence remains an important challenge for future studies.