Chapter 6 : Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive Dissonance

The discomfort that people feel when two cognitions (beliefs, attitudes) conflict, or when they behave in ways that threaten their self-esteem

Postdecision Dissonance

Dissonance aroused after making a decision, typically reduced by enhancing the attractiveness of the chosen alternative and devaluating the rejected alternatives

Justification of Effort

The tendency for individuals to increase their liking for something they have worked hard to attain, especially if they have freely chosen to exert that effort

Counterattitudinal Behavior

Acting in a way that runs counter to one’s private beliefs

External Justification

Explaining a counterattitudinal behavior as due to something about the situation or environment

(e.g., believing the behavior was justified by a large reward)

Internal Justification

The reduction of dissonance by changing something about oneself

(e.g., one’s attitude or behavior)

Insufficient Punishment

The dissonance aroused when individuals lack sufficient external justification for having resisted a desired activity or object, usually resulting in individuals devaluing the forbidden activity or object

Hypocrisy Induction

The arousal of dissonance by having individuals make statements that run counter to their behaviors and then reminding them of the inconsistency between what they advocated and their behavior. The purpose is to lead individuals to more responsible behavior.

Self-Affirmation Theory

The idea that people can reduce threats to their self-esteem by affirming themselves in areas unrelated to the source of the threat

Self-Evaluation Maintenance Theory

The idea that people experience dissonance when someone close to us outperforms us in an area that is central to our self-esteem.

Narcissism

The combination of excessive self-love and a lack of empathy toward others.

Terror Management Theory

The theory that self-esteem serves as a buffer, protecting people from terrifying thoughts about their own mortality.

How to reduce dissonance in the Self-Evaluation Maintenance Theory.

Becoming less close to the person, changing our behavior so that we now outperform them, or deciding that the area is not that important to us after all.

Which type of punishment has more permanent effect?

smaller rewards/ mild punishment

What reduces counter attitudinal behavior

External and Internal Justification