Chapter 16: Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Cognitive Dissonance

Distressing mental state caused by inconsistency between a person’s 2 beliefs, or a belief and an action

Selective Exposure Hypothesis

People avoid info that’s likely to create or increase dissonance

Postdecision dissonance

Strong doubts experienced after making an important, close-call decision that’s difficult to reverse

Minimal Justification Hypothesis

The best way to stimulate an attitude change in others is to offer just enough incentive to elicit counterattitudinal behavior

Logical inconsistency

Beliefs and behaviors that don’t add up; Festinger

Self-Concept

How we perceive ourselves

Dissonance thermometer

A hypothetical, reliable gauge of the dissonance a person feels as a result of inconsistency

Counterattitudinal Advocacy

Publicly urging others to believe or do something that they are opposed to what the advocate actually believes

Self-Consistency

The rationalizing animal

Self-perception theory

We determine our attitudes the same way outside observers do, by observing our behavior; is an alternative to cognitive dissonance theory

Compliance

Public conformity to expectations without internal conviction