5: Justifying actions

Question 1

Justifying our actions is a form of:

Answer 1

dissonance reduction.

Question 2

Human beings strive to maintain a _____, _______ self image.

Answer 2

Human beings strive to maintain a stable, positive self image.

Question 3

When confronted with an unfavourable view of the self, we experience:

Answer 3

discomfort.

Question 4

Feelings of discomfort caused by performing an action that runs runs counter to one’s customary conception of oneself is referred to as:

Answer 4

cognitive dissonance.

Question 5

One’s conception of oneself is typically:

Answer 5

positive.

Question 6

Who developed Cognitive Dissonance Theory?

Answer 6

Festinger (1957)

Question 7

According to Festinger (1957), threats to self-image induce a powerful, upsetting dissonance.

Answer 7

According to Festinger (1957), threats to self-image induce a powerful, upsetting __________.

Question 8

What are the 2 ways to reduce dissonance?

Answer 8

1. Change behaviour.

2. Justify behaviour.

Question 9

What are the 2 ways to justify behaviour?

Answer 9

1. Change one of the dissonant cognitions

2. Add new cognitions.

Question 10

Adding a new cognition to bolster our self-concept is called:

Answer 10

self affirmation.

Question 11

What might be a new cognition added by a smoker who fails to quit, in order to bolster their self concept?

Answer 11

Not very smart of me to smoke, but I’m a really good mathematician!

Question 12

People with _____ self-esteem work harder to reduce dissonance than people with _____ self-esteem.

Answer 12

People with high self-esteem work harder to reduce dissonance than people with average self-esteem.

Question 13

People with high self-esteem work harder to reduce dissonance than people with average self-esteem. This because people with high self-esteem strive to keep behaviour similar to their view of their ____.

Answer 13

People with high self-esteem work harder to reduce dissonance than people with average self-esteem. This because people with high self-esteem strive to keep behaviour similar to their view of their self.

Question 14

Every time we make a decision, we experience:

Answer 14

dissonance.

Question 15

Dissonance aroused after making a decision, is typically reduced by enhancing the attractiveness of the chosen alternative, and devaluing the rejected alternatives. This is called:

Answer 15

Postdecision dissonance.

Question 16

What 2 ways can we reduce post-decision dissonance?

Answer 16

1. Downplay negative aspects of chosen alternative.

2. Downplay positive aspects of rejected alternative.

Question 17

What 2 types of decisions increase dissonance?

Answer 17

1. Important decisions.

2. Permanent decisions.

Question 18

Describe Mills (1958) experiment on dissonance reduction and personal values.

Method:

Results:

Answer 18

Method:

Measured 6th graders attitudes about cheating, giving them the opportunity to cheat in a game. It was easy to cheat, almost necessary to win the game, and were led to believe that cheating could not be detected.

Results:

Cheaters became more lenient towards cheating.
Non-cheaters became less lenient towards cheating.

Question 19

People’s tendency to attribute a greater value (than the objective value) to an outcome they had to put effort into acquiring or achieving, is called:

(Hint: JoE)

Answer 19

Justification of Effort

Question 20

Describe the cover story used in Aronson and Mills (1959) experiment on effort justification.

Answer 20

College students volunteered to join a group that would be meeting regularly to discuss various aspects of the psychology of sex.

Question 21

Describe the 3 IV’s and DV in Aronson and Mills (1959) experiment on effort justification.

IV’s: ___________
1.
2.
3.

DV:

Answer 21

IV’s: level of initiation

1. extremely demanding and unpleasant.
2. Mildly unpleasant.
3. No initiation (control).

DV:
Liking of group after admitted.

Question 22

Describe the results of Aronson and Mills (1959) experiment on effort justification.

Answer 22

The more effort we put into becoming members of a group, and the tougher the initiation, there we will like the group we have just joined - even if it turns out to be a dud.

Question 23

A reason or explanation for dissonant personal behaviour that resides outside an individual. E.g. in order to receive a large award or avoid a severe punishment is called:

Answer 23

external justification.

Question 24

What is the external justification for lying to a friend about how ugly they are?

Answer 24

The belief that it is important not to cause pain to people you like.

Question 25

The reduction of dissonance by changing something about oneself is called:

Answer 25

internal justification.

Question 26

When might someone use internal instead of external justification?

Answer 26

When no clear external justification can be found.

Question 27

Stating an opinion or attitude that runs counter to one’s private belief or attitude is called:

Answer 27

counter-attitudinal advocacy.

Question 28

If there is insufficient external justification for counter-attitudinal advocacy, the attempt to reduce dissonance may result in:

Answer 28

attitude change.

Question 29

Describe the cover story used in Festinger and Carlsmith (1958) study of counter-attitudinal advocacy.

Answer 29

The effect of ‘interest instructions’ on performance on a boring task.

Question 30

Describe the IV’s and DV in Festinger and Carlsmith (1958) study of counter-attitudinal advocacy.

IV’s: ____________

1.
2.

DV:

Answer 30

IV’s: $’s for telling a lie that the boring task was fun.

1. $20 large sufficient external justification
2. $1 small insufficient external justification

DV:
Enjoyment of task.

Question 31

Describe the results of Festinger and Carlsmith (1958) study of counter-attitudinal advocacy.

Answer 31

$1 group rated task as more fun. Reduced dissonance via internal justification by changing attitude about task and believing the lie they were told.

$20 group rated task as more dull and boring, money reduced dissonance between positive view of self (honest person) and behaviour (lying).

Question 32

When is there sufficient external justification for refraining from a certain behaviour?

Answer 32

When the threat of punishment is severe.

Question 33

When is there insufficient external justification for refraining from a certain behaviour?

Answer 33

When the threat of punishment is less severe.

Question 34

When punishments are less severe, and there is an insufficient need for external justification, this creates a greater need for:

Answer 34

internal justification.

Question 35

When punishments are less severe, and there is an insufficient need for external justification, this creates a greater need for internal justification by changing attitudes via:

Answer 35

self persuasion.

Question 36

Describe the procedure, IV and DV of Aronson and Carlsmith (1963) Forbidden Toy Study.

Procedure:

IV: _____________
1.
2.

DV:

Answer 36

Procedure:

Children rated attractiveness of toys, then were forbidden to play with the toy they found most attractive.

IV: severity of punishment threatened.

1. mild punishment
2. severe punishment

DV:
rating of toy attractiveness

Question 37

Describe the results of Aronson and Carlsmith (1963) Forbidden Toy Study.

Mild threat of punishment:

Severe threat of punishment:

Answer 37

Mild threat of punishment:

Less likely to play with forbidden toy. Had to provide themselves with internal justification to devalue the attractiveness of the toy.

Severe threat of punishment:

More likely to play with forbidden toy.

Question 38

_____ rewards/punishments leads to internal justifications, which leads to ______ changes in behaviour.

_____ rewards/punishments lead to external justifications, which leads to ______ changes in behaviour.

Answer 38

Small rewards/punishments leads to internal justifications, which leads to lasting changes in behaviour.

Larger rewards/punishments lead to external justifications, which leads to temporary changes in behaviour.

Question 39

Dissonance theory predicts that when we dislike someone, if we do them a favour, we will like them ____.

Answer 39

Dissonance theory predicts that when we dislike someone, if we do them a favour, we will like them more.

Question 40

Dissonance theory predicts that when we dislike someone, if we do them a favour, we will like them more. Why?

Answer 40

When our behaviour is dissonant with our attitude, we change our attitude about that person to resolve the dissonance.

Question 41

According to dissonance theory, a person who has performed a favor for someone, is more likely to do another favor for that person, than they would be if they had received a favor from that person. This is called the:

(Hint: BFE)

Answer 41

Ben Franklin Effect

Question 42

______ behaviour is dissonant with the view of self as a decent human being.

Answer 42

Cruel behaviour is dissonant with the view of self as a decent human being.

Question 43

Cruel behaviour is dissonant with the view of self as a decent human being. We resolve dissonance by changing thought about:

Answer 43

the victim.

Question 44

Describe Davis and Jones (1960) experiment on justifying cruelty.

Procedure:

Results:

Answer 44

Procedure:

Participants told a young man (confederate) that they thought he was shallow, untrustworthy and boring.

Results:

Participants convinced themselves that they didn’t like him and he deserved to feel hurt.

Question 45

A drive or feeling of discomfort, originally defined as being caused by holding 2+ inconsistent cognitions, and subsequently defined as being caused by performing an action that is discrepant from one’s customary, typically positive self-conception is called:

Answer 45

cognitive dissonance.

Question 46

Stating an opinon or belief that runs counter to one’s private belief or attitude is called:

Answer 46

counter-attitudinal advocacy.

Question 47

A reason or explanation for dissonant personal behaviour that resides outside the individual. E.g. in order to receive a large reward or avoid severe punishment. This is called:

Answer 47

external justification.

Question 48

The arousal of dissonance by having individuals make statements that run counter to their behaviours, and then reminding them of the inconsistency between what they advocated for and their behaviours, is called:

Answer 48

hypocrisy induction.

Question 49

What is the purpose of hypocrisy induction?

Answer 49

To lead individuals to more responsible behaviour.

Question 50

The tendency to overestimate the intensity and duration of one’s emotional reactions to future negative events is called:

Answer 50

impact bias.

Question 51

The dissonance arrows when individuals lack sufficient external justification for having resisted a desired activity or object, usually resulting in individuals devaluing the forbidden activity or objects, is called:

Answer 51

insufficient punishment.

Question 52

The reduction of dissonance by changing something a out oneself (e.g. one’s attitude or behaviour) is called:

Answer 52

internal justification.

Question 53

The tendency for individuals to increase their liking for something they have worked hard to attain is called:

Answer 53

justification of effort.

Question 54

An unscrupulous strategy, whereby a salesperson induces a customer to agree to purchase a product at a low cost, subsequently claimed it was an error. They then raise the price. Frequently, the customer will agree to make he purchase at the inflated price. this is called:

Answer 54

lowballing.

Question 55

Dissonance aroused after making a decision, typically reduce by enhancing the attractiveness of the chosen alternative and devaluing the rejected alternatives, is called:

Answer 55

post-decision dissonance.

Question 56

In the context of dissonance theory, a way of reducing dissonance by reminding oneself of one or more of one’s positive attributes is called:

Answer 56

self affirmation.

Question 57

A long-lasting for of attitude change that result from attempts at self-justification is called:

Answer 57

self persuasion.

Question 58

If a person commits an unethical act, are they likely to do it again? Why?

Answer 58

Yes, as the person experiencing dissonance justifies it, thereby increasing the likelihood of committing it again.

Question 59

What evidence is there that dissonance is hardwired into the brains of primates? What are the evolutionary implications of this?

Answer 59

Postdecision dissonance has been observed in monkeys, but not other species. This suggests it serves an evolutionary adaptive purpose.

Question 60

Although cognitive dissonance is observed across cultures, what does differ between them?

Answer 60

What causes cognitive dissonance.

Question 61

What are the 5 type of self-justification observed in everyday life?

(Hint: JJEPT)

Answer 61

1. Justifying good and bad deeds.
2. Justification of Effort.
3. External vs. internal justification.
4. Punishment and self-persuasion.
5. The hypocrisy paradigm.

Question 62

Inducing hypocrisy to make people face the difference between what they say and what they do, in effort to change their behaviour is called the:

Answer 62

hypocrisy paradigm.

Question 63

Describe how the AIDS prevention experiment was used to induce the hypocrisy paradigm.

Answer 63

Participants videotaped speeches about the importance of condoms and were made aware of their own failure to use them. To reduce dissonance, they changed their behaviour and purchased condoms.