Abortion attitudes and discrepant behaviour: some theoretical issues.

Three broad conceptions of attitude formation and structure: conditioning and reinforcement; incentives and conflict : and cognitive consistency; are the basis for an examination of our attitudes toward induced abortion. The discrepancy between stated attitudes toward abortion and observed behaviour is viewed from the perspective of the same three theoretical positions. Also discussed are the variations of abortion decision-making and post-abortal sequelae pre dicted by the three theories. The theoretical issues, and implications from them, are discussed throughout the paper at both the individual and the societal level.