Cognitive Dissonance Theory Flashcards
(18 cards)
According to Cognitive Dissonance Theory, dissonance arises when:
A) A person is exposed to multiple persuasive messages
B) Two or more cognitions conflict
C) A message lacks logical structure
D) People conform to group norms
Two or more cognitions conflict
Which of the following represents a consonant relationship between cognitions?
A) “I believe in saving money” and “I just bought a $500 jacket on impulse”
B) “I care about animals” and “I volunteer at an animal shelter”
C) “Smoking is unhealthy” and “I smoke regularly”
D) “I like exercise” and “I never work out”
“I care about animals” and “I volunteer at an animal shelter”
Minimal justification refers to:
A) Using many reasons to justify a behavior
B) Strong incentives leading to attitude change
C) Offering the smallest incentive necessary to elicit behavior
D) Excusing unethical actions using situational factors
Offering the smallest incentive necessary to elicit behavior
Which dissonance reduction strategy is shown when someone adds consonant cognitions to justify their behavior?
A) Selective exposure
B) Changing behavior
C) Trivialization
D) Bolstering
Bolstering
Which of the following increases the magnitude of dissonance?
A) Irrelevant cognitions
B) Strong group consensus
C) Importance of the conflicting cognitions
D) Number of people involved in the decision
Importance of the conflicting cognitions
TRUE or FALSE:
All dissonant relationships cause the same level of discomfort.
False
The magnitude of dissonance varies based on cognitive importance and proportion.
TRUE or FALSE:
According to CDT, people are motivated to reduce dissonance because it is psychologically uncomfortable.
True
Reducing psychological discomfort is the main motivator in CDT
TRUE or FALSE:
Irrelevant cognitions neither support nor contradict each other.
True
Irrelevant cognitions do not affect one another.
TRUE or FALSE:
Consonant cognitions always reinforce positive behavior.
False
Consonant cognitions simply align; they’re not always “positive.”
TRUE or FALSE:
Minimal justification can lead to long-term attitude change.
True
Small incentives force internal justification, leading to attitude change.
Define cognitive dissonance and give an example of a dissonant relationship between two cognitions.
Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort a person feels when they hold conflicting beliefs or behave inconsistently with their beliefs.
Ex: Believing in environmental protection while flying frequently.
What are three main ways people cope with cognitive dissonance?
- Change a cognition (e.g., “Flying isn’t that harmful”)
- Add consonant cognitions (e.g., “I donate to environmental causes”)
- Trivialize the issue (e.g., “One person’s flying doesn’t matter”)
Explain the concept of magnitude of dissonance and two factors that affect it.
Magnitude of dissonance = the degree of discomfort from dissonance.
Affected by:
* Importance of the beliefs
* Ratio of dissonant to consonant cognitions
What revision did Festinger and later scholars propose regarding dissonance and the self?
Revised CDT suggests that dissonance is strongest when it threatens a person’s self-concept
(e.g., morality, integrity), not just when beliefs conflict logically.
Explain the difference between consonant, dissonant, and irrelevant relationships among cognitions.
Consonant: Cognitions logically support each other (e.g., “I care about health” and “I exercise”)
Dissonant: Cognitions contradict (e.g., “I care about health” and “I smoke”)
Irrelevant: Cognitions are unrelated (e.g., “I like jazz” and “I believe in recycling”)
According to Festinger, what causes cognitive dissonance?
A) Lack of emotional engagement with a message
B) A mismatch between behaviors and values
C) Overexposure to persuasive messaging
D) Uncertainty about group membership
A mismatch between behaviors and
values
Which scenario is most likely to produce dissonance according to the minimal justification hypothesis?
A) Lying for $100
B) Lying for $1
C) Getting punished for a lie
D) Ignoring a lie
Lying for $1
Which of the following is NOT a valid way to reduce dissonance?
A) Changing your beliefs
B) Adding new consonant cognitions
C) Ignoring the dissonance
D) Changing your behavior
Ignoring the dissonance
