Chapter 6: Self Justification Flashcards
Cognitive dissonance and study
the mental stress or discomfort experienced by an individual who holds two or more contradictory beliefs at the same time
Carl smith 1959
Made people to boring tests for an hour, then asked them to lie to the next participant about how fun it was. They were alternated between no compensation, one dollar, and $20. The people who were paid one dollar liked at the most because they had to compensate for the fact that they were only paid one dollar to lie. Dissonance occurs when there is insufficient external motivation, so they look to internal motivation.
Two types of cognitions
Consonant one follows the other
Dissonance they don’t follow
Three strategies for reducing dissonance
Three general strategies
Change the behavior to bring it in line with dissonant cognition
Attempt to justify behavior by adding new cognitions
Attempt to justify behavior by changing one of the dissonant cognitions
Effort justification
People justify their effort in an unpleasant task by thinking that they liked it more – “why would I work that hard for something I didn’t enjoy it?”
Aaronson and mills 1959
People who went to the uncomfortable sex task enjoyed it more – consonant with hazing
Justifying decisions and study
Justifying decisions
Post decision dissonance is reduced by a spreading of alternates
The decision you choose is more likable, and the other decisions become less likable
Brehm 1956
Housewives rated kitchen items, and we’re given the third or fourth most likable. Upon reevaluation, the one they chose was more likable.
Illusion of irrevocability
Illusion of irrevocability
It seems like you’re more committed to a situation than you are
Justifying others suffering and study
Justifying suffering
Cruelty is dissonant with cognition of self as a good person
I hurt them the must deserve it
Gray 2010
A Confederate and participant play a game, the Confederate wins and the participant has to say whether or not they cheated after they have been put in pain. The participant very much disliked confederate afterwards.
Benjamin Franklin affect
Ben Franklin effect
When we do a person a favor, we tend to like them more as a result. This is because we justify our actions to ourselves that we did them a favor
Justifying inconsistent behavior and study
Justifying inconsistent behavior
People don’t like to think they are hypocritical and so reminding them of times they were creates dissonance.
Dickerson 1992
Swimmers were asked to take a survey about shower times when getting out of the pool. Those who both signed a survey and signed a pledge reduce shower time by the most, getting rid of undesirable behavior.
Self-affirmation theory and study
Self Affrimation theory
Dissonance effects are not driven by motives for consistency but a motive for self integrity
Study where science majors who put on lab coats defied cognitive decisions when offered the third or fourth CD
