Dissonance and self-perception Flashcards
Cognitive dissonance
A feeling of discomfort caused by two or more inconsistent cognitive elements. When we become aware of the fact our feelings are unaligned, we feel uncomfortable.
What do we do to reduce dissonance ?
- adding new, congruent beliefs to counteract the discrepancy
- direct the discrepancy to an external source (the behaviour is out of our control)
- change future behaviour to consistent with our attitudes
- changing attitudes to be consistent with behaviour
Post-decision dissonance
Occurs when a choice of one alternative is inconsistent with indifference towards the options (McDonalds vs KFC)
Effort Justification
When one puts more effort towards achieving a goal than the goal seems to warrant. Justifying our behaviour
Insufficient reward
When one behaves to counter their attitudes for no reason. High reward supplies sufficient external motivation, while low reward is not sufficient to motivate unlikely behaviour, so people change their attitudes (giving someone $1 vs $20 to do something counter to their attitudes)
Insufficient punishment
When one is not punishes sufficiently to refrain from doing something they like to do. a smaller punishment reduces external explanation and forces change of attitudes to reason behaviour
Self-perception theory
the idea one draws logical inferences from observing their own behaviour. there is no motivational drive
The over justification effect
The idea that people who were previously intrinsically motivated to do something that they like to can be convinced to stop.
Lattitude of acceptance
attitudes outside the lattitude of acceptance cause dissonance. attitudes within within the scale of acceptance are explained with self-perception theory.
