Cognitive Dissonance (Chapter 17 pt. 2)

What is cognitive dissonance theory?

Cognitive dissonance theory explains the psychological tension or discomfort people experience when their beliefs contradict one another or when their behavior does not match their beliefs. Example: Someone believes smoking is harmful but continues to smoke.

What are two situations that can cause cognitive dissonance?

Cognitive dissonance can occur when someone holds two contradictory attitudes or beliefs, or when their behavior does not match their personal beliefs. Example: Someone believes everyone deserves equal treatment but supports denying certain groups equal rights.

How do people reduce cognitive dissonance?

People may reduce cognitive dissonance by changing their behavior, changing their beliefs or attitudes, or justifying their actions so their beliefs and behaviors become more consistent. Example: Someone who believes smoking is unhealthy may decide to quit.

Someone believes that anyone who is physically fit and wants to serve in the military should be allowed to serve. However, they also believe women and gay people should not be allowed to serve. What does this demonstrate?

Cognitive dissonance. The person's beliefs contradict one another because they support allowing physically fit individuals to serve but also believe certain groups should be excluded.

Someone preaches "Love thy neighbor" but treats certain people poorly and believes they should not have equal rights. What psychological concept does this demonstrate?

Cognitive dissonance. The person's behavior and beliefs contradict the message they claim to support, potentially creating psychological tension.

What type of person may not experience or respond strongly to cognitive dissonance?

Someone who is not bothered by contradictions between their beliefs and behaviors, or who is unwilling to change their attitudes or actions to resolve the discomfort. People do not always respond to cognitive dissonance in the same way.

Who was Stanley Milgram, and what did he investigate?

Stanley Milgram was a psychologist who investigated obedience to authority. His research examined how people respond when an authority figure instructs them to perform actions that may conflict with their personal beliefs or morals.

What was Milgram's Shock Study?

Milgram's Shock Study was an experiment conducted at Yale University in 1961 that examined obedience to authority. Volunteers participated in an experiment involving electric shocks to investigate how far people would go when instructed by an authority figure.

What did Milgram's Shock Study demonstrate about obedience?

The study demonstrated how people may follow instructions from an authority figure even when those instructions create emotional stress or conflict with their personal beliefs.

Why did Milgram's Shock Study raise ethical concerns?

The experiment involved deception and caused emotional stress for participants. It raised concerns about informed consent and the responsibility researchers have to avoid causing psychological harm.

A person is instructed by someone in a position of authority to do something they personally believe is wrong. They feel uncomfortable but follow the instruction anyway. Which study relates to this situation?

Milgram's Shock Study. It examined how people may obey an authority figure even when the instructions conflict with their personal morals.

Who was Philip Zimbardo, and what did he investigate?

Philip Zimbardo was a psychologist who investigated how social roles and situations influence human behavior. His Stanford Prison Study examined how people behaved after being assigned the roles of prisoners and prison guards.

What was Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Study?

Zimbardo's Prison Study was an experiment conducted at Stanford University in which undergraduate male students were assigned to act as either prisoners or prison guards. It demonstrated how assigned social roles and situations can influence behavior.

How was Zimbardo's Prison Study organized?

The study involved 24 undergraduate male students. Twelve were assigned to be prisoners and twelve were assigned to be guards. The study was planned to last two weeks, and participants were paid $15 per day. However, it was stopped after only six days.

What happened during Zimbardo's Prison Study?

The guards began taking their assigned roles seriously, and some became abusive toward the prisoners. The situation became increasingly harmful, causing the experiment to be stopped after six days.

What are social roles?

Social roles are the expected behaviors associated with a particular position or role within a group or society. Example: A prison guard is expected to maintain authority and enforce rules, while a prisoner is expected to follow the rules.

What did Zimbardo's Prison Study demonstrate about social roles?

It demonstrated that the roles people are assigned and the situations they are placed in can influence how they behave. Students assigned to be guards began acting in controlling and abusive ways.

How did the ethical concerns in Zimbardo's Prison Study relate to the behavior of participants?

Participants became increasingly involved in their assigned roles, and some guards engaged in abusive behavior toward prisoners. The study raised ethical concerns because participants experienced distress and the experiment had to be stopped early.

How is Zimbardo's Prison Study different from Milgram's Shock Study?

Zimbardo examined how assigned social roles and situations influence behavior, while Milgram examined how people obey direct instructions from authority figures. Acting abusively because someone has been assigned the role of a prison guard relates to Zimbardo; following an authority figure's instruction to administer shocks relates to Milgram.