28. Cognitive Dissonance Flashcards
According to Leon Festinger (1957, 1962) attitude change can occur when various objects of thought, which he called ‘____ ____’, are logically inconsistent – that is, when they are dissonant with one another.
Cognitive elements
Refers to a perceived discrepancy between an attitude and a behaviour or between an attitude and a new piece of information.
Cognitive dissonance
According to Festinger, this kind of ____ leads to a state of psychological tension similar to anxiety.
discrepancy
The tension, in turn, motivates individual to ____ the attitude, the behaviour or the perception of the inconsistent information to eliminate unpleasant arousal or anxiety.
change
Two variables that influence the extent to which dissonance arises and requires resolution are the perception of ____ and the ____ of rewards and punishments.
choice, size
Cognitive dissonance theory is essentially a ____ ____ theory.
Drive reduction
That is, reducing an uncomfortable emotional state (a drive) ____ an attitude change.
reinforces
Worry about whether you have made the right choice.
Post-decision regret
Dissonance reduction after the fact.
Post-decision dissonance reduction
Findings suggest that ____ ____ occurs automatically, without conscious reflection.
dissonance reduction
An alternative non-motivational explanation, derived from behaviourism. ____ ____ ____ holds that individuals infer their attitudes, emotions and other internal states by observing their own behaviour.
Self perception theory
According to self perception theory, the attitudes people report depend on their ____; as their behaviour changes (because of changes in reinforcement contingencies) so again will their attitude. No motivation, tension or perceived inconsistency is involved.
behaviour
An explanation that suggests that what appear to be changes in attitudes in dissonance studies are really changes in reported attitudes.
Self presentation
Still another ____ explanation maintains that people feel guilty, ashamed or lacking in integrity after doing something that conflicts with their values, such as lying about task.
motivational
Because people want to present themselves as ____ and do not want to look foolish by behaving inconsistently, they report attitudes they do not really hold.
rational
