Attitude Change: Cognitive Dissonance

Question 1

What is cognitive consistency?

Answer 1

Individuals prefer thoughts and beliefs to be consistent and when an imbalance occurs we aim to fix it.

Question 2

What is Balance Theory (based on attitudes)? Heider 1958

Answer 2

Preference in attitudes that are consistent with each other

Question 3

What is the P-O-X triad?

Answer 3

P = Self
O = Other
X = Attitude object
balance when odd number of positive relations

Question 4

What is cognitive dissonance?

Answer 4

The discomfort caused by inconsistencies in cognition and behaviour

Question 5

Festinger’s Model of Cognitive Dissonance?

Answer 5

Dissonance reduction strategy

Arousal of cognitive dissonance
^ (Yes = Cog dissonace)
Attribute responsibility to self -> = if no = no dissonace due to external factors

Attitude-discrepant behaviour

Question 6

What are the dissonance reduction strategies?

Answer 6

e.g Ice-cream
1. Change a cognition - dont need to lose WT
2. Change the importance of a cognition/discrepency - Low fat ice-cream
3. Ratinalise cognitions as not relevant to each other - ice-cream does not effect WT
4. Add additional constant cognitions - i’ll excersie

Question 7

What is post-decision dissonance?

Answer 7

Dissonance experienced after making a decision. Feeling of discomfort that the wrong decision has been made

Question 8

What is the Knox et al., 1968 study about?

Answer 8

Participants asked how confident they were in bets places in Horse race. Results -> Confidence levels increased post bet. Post-decison increases in the attratctivness of the chosen alternative.

Question 9

When does dissonance become greater?

Answer 9

1. Whan the decision is more important e.g large investment
2. The choices are equally desirable
3. When you perceive you made the choice freely
4. The choice is irrevocable (once commited and unable to get out of it)

Question 10

That is counter-attitudinal behaviour?

Answer 10

Doing something contrary to our attitude + and not justification for why attitude change

Question 11

What is effort justification?

Answer 11

When you undergo an unpleasant experience in order to gain a social object, you are likely to value the object more

Question 11

Which group experienced high dissonance of Festinger’s counter-attitudinal behaviour experiment (boring task)?

Answer 11

The group who were paid $1 due to change in cognition about the task

Question 12

What are the two added components of cognitive dissonance by Copper and Fazio?

Answer 12

Significant negative consequences
Attribute arousal to own behaviour

Question 13

What were the results of the Morrogiello study on whether a cognitive dissonance intervention could reduce risk-taking behaviour in a playground?

Answer 13

The children’s risk-taking behaviours were reduced in the intervention group. Effects (change) are larger when endorsed publicly

Question 14

What is the definition of Persuasion?

Answer 14

The intentional attempt by someone to change another persons attitudes and beliefs

Question 15

What are the factors in the Yale Model that influence Persuasion?

Answer 15

1. Source - the who
2. Message - what
3. Channel - how
4. Audience - to whom

Question 16

What are the influencing factors of the Source in the Yale model?

Answer 16

1. Similarity
2. Attractiveness
3. Credibility/expertise

Question 16

What are the influencing factors of the Source in the Yale model?

Answer 16

1. Similarity
2. Attractiveness
3. Credibility/expertise

Question 17

What are the influencing factors in Message in the Yale model?

Answer 17

1. One-sided vs two-sided
2. Fact vs feeling
3. Fear

Question 18

What are the influencing factors in Channel in the Yale model?

Answer 18

Video vs Audio vs Written

Question 19

What are the influencing factors in the Audience in the Yale model?

Answer 19

1. Gender
2. Self-esteem
3. Prior beliefs

Question 20

What is the Dual-systems model of thinking?

Answer 20

1. Rapid, automatic and unconscious (System 1)
2. Slow, deliberate, conscious (System 2)

Question 21

What are the two components of the Elaboration Likelihood Model?

Answer 21

1. Central Route
   - Issues are important, Time and resources allocated
   - Typically induces lasting attitude change
2. Peripheral Route
   - Issues are unimportant, no time and resources allocated
   - Rapid attitude change but does not last
   - If persuasive cues (attractive person) no longer present, change erodes

Question 22

When is elaboration more likely?

Answer 22

1. Motivation - importance and need for cognition
2. Opportunity - high cognitive capacity + more time to evaluate the information
3. Inconsistency of the peripheral cues

Question 23

How do people resist persuasion? two components

Answer 23

1. Forewarning - prior knowledge of persuasive intent and rehearsal of counter-arguments
2. Inoculation effect - weak attack there fore build up defence against stronger attack

Question 24

What is reactance?

Answer 24

prior knowledge of persuasive intent

Question 25

What is the rehearsal of counter-argument?

Answer 25

prior knowledge of a persuasive message and the content