attitude /at′ətyo̅o̅d, -to̅o̅d/ [L, aptitude, fitness] , 1. a body position or posture, particularly the fetal position in the uterus, as determined by the degree of flexion of the head and extremities. 2. (in psychiatry) any of the major integrative forces in the development of personality that gives consistency to an individual’s behavior. Attitudes are cognitive in nature, formed through interactions with the environment. They reflect the person’s innermost convictions about situations good or bad, right or wrong, desirable or undesirable.
