Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Question 1

Who created cognitive dissonance theory

Answer 1

Festinger (1957)

Question 2

Why do we want to maintain consistency between our attitudes and behaviors

Answer 2

Because inconsistency makes us uncomfortable

Question 3

What is the definition of dissonance

Answer 3

Unpleasant psychological tension/arousal

Question 4

What is the best way to reduce dissonance

Answer 4

Change our attitude

Question 5

What are the three major situations that cause dissonance

Answer 5

1. Induced compliance
2. Effort justification
3. Post-decision dissonance

Question 6

What is induced compliance

Answer 6

Someone subtly induces us to behave counterattitudinally

Question 7

What was the study described in the Festinger articled with the peg-turning task

Answer 7

Participants did a super boring task and were offered either $1 or $20. Those who received $1, lied and said the task was interesting. They needed their dissonance reduced (the $1 wasn’t enough), so they changed their attitude to match their behavior

Question 8

What was the Mr. Nice and Mr. Nasty study

Answer 8

Army recruits ate grasshoppers and were asked how much they liked it. In the Mr. Nice case they said they were sweet talked into it and in the Mr. Nasty case they didn’t why they ate the bug since it’s gross and the person was mean, so they lied and said they really liked the grasshopper.

Question 9

How did the forbidden toy study show insufficient deterrence

Answer 9

The researchers said that they would be disappointed if the kids played with a toy, or they would take away all the toys if the kids played with the robot. The mild cases changed their attitude and said they didn’t like the toy.

Question 10

What is effort justification

Answer 10

The more we suffer for something, the more we’ll love it, i.e. frat hazing

Question 11

What is post-decision dissonance

Answer 11

Occurs when you’re forced to choose between two hard things, so we devalue unchosen alternative

Question 12

What are the four conditions necessary for dissonance to occur

Answer 12

1. Attitude-discrepant behavior must produce unwanted negative consequences
2. Feeling personal responsibility for the unpleasant outcomes of behavior
3. Process of physiological arousal
4. An attribution for that arousal to behavior

Question 13

What are theories that challenge cognitive dissonance theory

Answer 13

1. Bem’s self-perception theory
2. Impression management theory
3. Self-affirmation theory