Cognitive Dissonance Flashcards
When two cognitions are inconsistent it causes discomfort. People are motivated to reduce this discomfort.
cognitive dissonance
When two cognitions are consistent
cognitive consonance
when two cognitions are irrelevant to each other.
cognitive irrelevance
When there is no good reason for behaving inconsistently with your attitude. People often change their attitude when this occurs.
insufficient justification
free choice & aversive consequences
conditions for dissonance
After we spend a lot of effort on something we expect this effort to be worthwhile. If it is NOT, then dissonance occurs. When the effort was not worthwhile, we often change
our attitudes to reduce this dissonance.
effort justification
When we have to choose between two attractive alternatives, dissonance can result. Generally, we end up happy with the decisions we make.
post-decision dissonance
To reduce dissonance, we may change our attitudes. We like what we chose more and like what we didn’t choose less.
spreading of alternatives
Predicts that those who are most disadvantaged by the system are most likely to system justify. Makes system change difficult.
system justification theory
people infer attitudes from their behavior
self-perception theory
