| This study examined the relationship between six change variables and attitude formation towards an innovation: a system approach to identifying and solving problems. Specifically the study examined four relationships between: (a) Change Agent Credibility and the linear combination of the individual's Belief System, Change Agent Status, and Change Agent Origin, (b) Knowledge Level and the linear combination of Change Agent Credibility, the individual's Belief System, Change Agent Status, and Change Agent Origin, (c) Perception of the Innovation Attributes and the linear combination of Knowledge Level, Change Agent Credibility, the individual's Belief System, Change Agent Status, and Change Agent Origin, and (d) Attitude towards the Innovation and the linear combination of Perception of the Innovation Attributes, Knowledge Level, Change Agent Credibility, the individual's Belief System, Change Agent Status, and Change Agent Origin.;All subjects completed three pretreatment instruments (Belief Systems Test, Background Information Survey, and Attitude Survey). The Attitude Survey consisted of two subscales: Attitude towards the Innovation and Perception of the Innovation Attributes.;The treatments consisted of five objectives-based workshop presentations on the innovation, given by the same change agent, to 94 faculty in five postsecondary colleges. At two colleges the change agent was portrayed as a high status external change agent. At two other colleges he was portrayed as a low status external change agent and at the fifth college he was portrayed as a low status internal change agent.;Seventy-five subjects completed three posttreatment instruments (Knowledge Level Survey, Change Agent Credibility Survey, and Attitude Survey). The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and the following significant results in explained variance were obtained. Change Agent Origin and client Belief System explained variance in Knowledge Level. The abstract/concrete dimension of Belief Systems appeared instrumental in explaining Knowledge Level. Knowledge Level and Change Agent Credibility explained variance in Perception of the Innovation Attributes but it appeared that Knowledge Level may not directly influence Perception. Perception of the Innovation Attributes explained variance in Attitude towards the Innovation. |
