Reading Attitude Definition of Terms

concept of attitude is an issue that is often studied in educational environments. According to Eagly and Chaiken 1993, “attitude is a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor” p. 1. It is support by Senemoglu 2004 who points out that “attitude is an internal situation that is acquired and has an effect on the selection of behavi or” p. 419. It means that attitude can be defined as a cognitive manner that has emotional and sentimental side and e ffect on the person‟s decision regarding doing something or not. According to McKenna et al. 1995, there are three components of attitude, namely emotional, cognitive and behavioral. The first one is the emotional that comes from emotional reactions towards the attitude. The second one is cognitive component that comes from ideas and believes that the individual has about the attitude object. The third one is behavioral component that involves behaviors towards attitude. Attitudes are emphasized heavily in the studies of reading. Sainsbury 2004 states that reading has two fundamental objectives, namely developing reading skills and positive attitudes toward reading. Studies of reading should emphasize attitudes because attitude towards reading is a variable that predicts academic achievement House et al., 1998. Reading attitude is an important factor that affects students‟ reading achievement and reading activities in class, and determines whether they will become independent readers or not Logan Johnston, 2009. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

a. The Mathewson Model

The Mathewson model 1985 involves the affective processes of attitude, motivation, affect, and phys ical feelings. Mathewson states that “this cognitively mediated influence of affect upon reading may be represented by a decision process component in the new affective model of reading” p. 845. In the model, physical feelings could influence whether a person continues to read. One possible decision to read is a good general reading attitude. According to Mathewson: “In addition to attitudes toward reading as a universal good, it is also possible that attitudes toward the source of reading materials may be important in determining a decision to read. The source of a book or magazine might be a friend, a teacher, or a club. Thus, the present model incorporates the notion that relevant attitudes toward reading may include 8 attitudes toward the content, format, and form but may also include such attitudes as those toward reading as a universal good and attitudes toward the source of reading materials. This expanded notion of the range of attitudes, which may influence reading, ensures a broad scope for the model, but at the same time poses difficult questions for the researcher who might wish to assess the e ffects of attitude upon reading” p. 847. In this model, Mathewson depicts attitude which may influence attention and comprehension through the decision process. The secondary component includes recall, reflection, and application. This was important to the model to depict that students should do more with their reading. Mathewson states , “the present model thus predicts that the decision component influences the primary and secondary reading processes in the same way. Decision to read, whether primary or secondary processes are involved, is based on attitude, motivation, affect, and physical feelings” p. 848. In the first Mathewson‟s model 1994, he depicts how attitude is developed over time. McKenna, Kear and Ellsworth 1995 explain, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI