CognitiveDissonanceTheory

3hypothesis
o SelectiveExposurePreventsDissonance
o PostdecisionDissonancecreatesaneedforreassurance
o Minimaljustificationforactioninducesashiftinattitude

Hypothesis3:MinimalJustificationforActioninducesashiftinAttitude
Changebehavior>ChangeinAttitude
Bestwaytostimulateanattitudechangeinothersoffersjustenoughincentivetoelicitcounter
attitudinalbehavior(Agreeingtosomethingthatitsnotreallytrue)

ExampleexperimentbyLeonFestinger;
WouldILieforaDollar?

Results
$20wasenoughtojustifylying,lowlevelsoftensionbetweenattitudeandbehavior
Thosewhogot$1hadtoreallyjustifywhytheywerewillingtolietoforthe$1,High
levelsoftensionbetweenattitudeandbehavior
Changeinbehaviorchangeinattitude

Revisions:

SelfConsistency:TheRationalizingAnimal
Ifdissonanceexists,itisbecausetheindividualsbehaviorisinconsistentwithinhisself
concept

FlawsinCDT
Failedtostatetheconditionsunderwhichapersonwoulddefinitelyexperience
dissonance
Logicalinconsistencydoesntautomaticallycreatedissonance
Concludedthattheissuewasntlogicalinconsistencybutpsychologicalinconsistency
Wearenotrationalanimals;wearerationalizinganimalsthatwanttoappearreasonable
toourselves

PersonalResponsibilityforBadOutcomes(theNEWLOOK)
Dissonanceisastateofarousalcausedbybehavinginsuchawayastofeelpersonally
responsibleorbringingaboutanaversiveevent

FlawstoAronsonsrevision
Itdoesntcapturetherealcauseofdissonance

Coopersmodel
Theknowledgethatonesactionhavenecessarilyhurtanotherpersoniswhatcauses
dissonance
Theacceptanceofpersonalresponsibilityrequiresthatthepersonknowsaheadoftime
thathisorheractionwillhavenegativeconsequencesforsomeoneelseandyetstill
choosestogothroughwiththeactionorbehavior

SelfAffirmationApproach
Questionsdissonancereduction
Itdoesnotassumethatdissonancealwaysdrivespeopletojustifyactionsbychanging
attitude
 Steelebelievesmostpeoplearemotivatedtomaintainanoverallselfimagethatis
welcomingtoothers
Focusonpositivethoughtsinordertorationalizeanunjustbehaviorordishonestdecision
Highselfesteem=resourceofdissonancereduction