  Attitude strength is a key characteristic of attitudes. Strong attitudes are
durable and impactful, while weak attitudes are fluctuating and
inconsequential. Recently, the Causal Attitude Network (CAN) model was proposed
as a comprehensive measurement model of attitudes, which conceptualizes
attitudes as networks of causally connected evaluative reactions (i.e.,
beliefs, feelings, and behavior toward an attitude object). Here, we test the
central postulate of the CAN model that highly connected attitude networks
correspond to strong attitudes. We use data from the American National Election
Studies 1980-2012 on attitudes toward presidential candidates (total n =
18,795). We first show that political interest predicts connectivity of
attitude networks toward presidential candidates. Second, we show that
connectivity is strongly related to two defining features of strong attitudes -
stability of the attitude and the attitude's impact on behavior. We conclude
that network theory provides a promising framework to advance the understanding
of attitude strength.
