Exam 6: The Need to Justify Our Actions: the Costs and Benefits of Dissonance Reduction

People tend to fall subject to the impact bias (and not understand that they will usually successfully reduce cognitive dissonance)because reducing cognitive dissonance is

Based on MRI research on people who were experiencing and later resolved cognitive dissonance,what would you expect to happen to Mary,who just reduced her dissonant feelings about visiting the tanning salon by telling herself that she isn't genetically predisposed to skin cancer,so it won't affect her?

Recall that Elliot Aronson and his colleagues (1991,1993)asked college students either to compose a persuasive message advocating the use of condoms or to compose and deliver their message in front of a video camera.In addition,half of the participants in each group were made mindful of the times that they didn't use condoms.Which (fictitious)participant below would experience the most dissonance and express a greater willingness to use condoms in the future?

Of the four people presented below,which one would feel the least regret about altering her appearance,based on information in your text about cognitive dissonance?

Who would be least likely to remember sound and well-founded arguments against smoking?

After reducing post-decision dissonance,people are more likely to rate the chosen and unchosen alternatives as

According to dissonance theorists,the practice of threatening mild punishment works because it arouses ____ cognitive dissonance and therefore causes ____.

Recall that Elliot Aronson and his colleagues (1991,1993)designed experiments to remind students of their own hypocrisy when it came to using condoms during sex.Participants who made videotaped speeches in which they talked about the difficulties they had using condoms actually changed their attitudes and behaviors related to condom use.These experiments are actually variations on the phenomenon of the ____ paradigm.

Rudy thinks that if he ever got kicked off the football team he would be depressed for months,and that his life would lose all meaning.In actuality,his response would probably not be this severe or prolonged.What is Rudy demonstrating?

Which of the following examples of inconsistencies is likely to generate the most cognitive dissonance and to cause the most upset?

____ refers to long-lasting attitude change that arises from attempts to reduce cognitive dissonance.

____ refers to the tendency of people to increase their liking for something they have worked hard to attain.

Dissonance theory helps us understand the apparently irrational behavior of cult members,such as those in the Heaven's Gate cult and at Jonestown who committed mass suicide.All of the following except ____ tend to increase dissonance and hence the extreme dissonance-reducing commitment to the cult or cause and the beliefs of the leaders.

Michael and Pam are friends,but have never dated.Michael wants to ask Pam out on a date,with the hope that she will think of him as more than just a friend.Based on research on external justification and dissonance theory,under which of the following conditions will Pam like Michael the most?

Carl and Roger both had similar attitudes about cheating on a partner.However,both were faced with similar situations where they could have cheated on their partners.Now,Carl thinks that cheating is the worst offense one can make in a relationship,whereas Roger thinks that most people would cheat if they were faced with the situation.Explain what could have occurred,both socially and psychologically,that could produce such diverse positions from individuals who shared a similar stance.

People generally ____ think they will like to be able to easily change a decision they've made; however,the research on cognitive dissonance suggests that people actually are ____ with their choice when a decision is more permanent.

Lisa is a car salesperson.She has just gotten you to agree to a deal on a new car and to write out a check for the down payment.She takes this to her manager and comes back awhile later saying that,because of taxes and fees,the price of the car will actually come out to $600 over what you agreed upon.According to the research on lowballing,which of the following is most likely to occur?

Why does making a decision tend to generate dissonance,how is this dissonance reduced,and under what conditions is post-decisional dissonance reduction the greatest?

What did Leon Festinger's (1957)original formulation of dissonance theory posit? Be sure to address what dissonance is,how and when it arises,and what people do to reduce it.

Imagine that you have just moved into a house with four other people.One of your housemates,Tony,doesn't seem to like you all that much.If you were to make use of the Ben Franklin effect,what can you do to increase Tony's liking for you?