---
title: "Katz's Functional Theory of Attitudes — Definition & Meaning"
description: "Katz's Functional Theory of Attitudes identifies four key functions that attitudes serve, essential for UPSC GS-4 ethics and understanding human behavior."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/katz-functions-of-attitude"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Katz's Functional Theory of Attitudes holds that attitudes serve four psychological functions—adjustment, ego-defensive, value-expressive, and knowledge—and change only when those functions are addressed.
- What are the four functions in Katz's theory of attitudes?
- Why is Katz's functional theory important for UPSC GS-4 ethics?
- How does Katz's theory explain attitude change?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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Example

India's anti-tobacco "Quit Tobacco" campaigns under the Ministry of Health, intensified after 2016, illustrate Katz's adjustment and value-expressive functions by linking cessation to both social rewards and personal identity rather than fear alone.

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