Chapter 6 Flashcards
The Need to Justify Our Actions
cognitive dissonance
the feeling of discomfort caused by performing an action that is discrepant from one’s self-concept (I am good but I’ve done something that is not good)
self-affirmation
in the context of dissonance theory, a way of reducing dissonance by reminding oneself of one or more of one’s positive attributes
impact bias
the tendency to overestimate the intensity and duration of one’s emotional reactions to future negative events
postdecision dissonance
dissonance aroused after making a decision, typically reduced by enhancing the attractiveness of the choses alternative and devaluating the rejected alternatives
lowballing
an unscrupulous strategy whereby a salesperson induces a customer to agree to purchase a product at a low cost, subsequently claims it was an error, and then raises the price; frequently, the customer will agree to make the purchase at the inflated price
justification of effort
the tendency for individuals to increase their liking for something they have worked hard to attain
external justification
a reason or an explanation for dissonant personal behavior that resides outside the individual (in order to receive a large reward or severe punishment)
internal justification
the reduction of dissonance by changing something about oneself (one’s attitude or behavior)
counter attitudinal advocacy
stating an opinion or attitude that runs counter to one’s private belief or attitude (with little external justification, what we believe conforms more and more to the lie we told)
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
self-persuasion
a long-lasting form of attitude change that results from attempts at self-justification
hypocrisy induction
the arousal of dissonance by having individuals make statements that run counter to their behaviors & then reminding them of the inconsistency between what they advocated and their behavior. The purpose is to lead individuals to more responsible behavior
