Deck 16: Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Question 1

The tendency people have to avoid information that would create cognitive dissonance because it's incompatible with their current beliefs is called:

A) selective exposure.
B) rationality.
C) predictive selection.
D) cognitive dissonance.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Dorothy, a social activist, loves to listen to speeches of well-known activists. She loves to read autobiographies of renowned social workers and their journey toward successful reforms. Her circle of friends mainly comprises people who care for society. In this case, Dorothy's tendency most likely exemplifies ________.

A) self-fulfilling prophecy
B) self-perception
C) selective exposure hypothesis
D) minimal justification hypothesis

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Publicly urging others to believe or do something that is opposed to what the speaker or persuader actually believes is called ________.

A) hyperpersonal perspective
B) counterattitudinal advocacy
C) self-affirmation
D) self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Dieter Frey found that selective exposure does not operate if:

A) the rewards for paying attention are great.
B) we do not regard the dissonant information as a threat.
C) we are allowed to choose what we hear and see.
D) None of the answers is correct.

Question 5

Which of the following did Leon Festinger and his followers focus on to serve as an end product of dissonance?

A) attitude change
B) behavior modification
C) belief discrepancy
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 6

According to Festinger's minimal justification hypothesis, the best way to affect long-term attitudinal change is to:

A) persuade your subjects that the desired attitude is desirable.
B) persuade your subjects to change their behavior and their attitudes will follow.
C) use reverse psychology by asking them to believe the opposite.
D) offer your subjects a generous reward or severe punishment as inducement.

Question 7

For Joel Cooper, dissonance is generated by:

A) the knowledge that one's actions have unnecessarily hurt another person.
B) high self-esteem.
C) low self-esteem.
D) the fact that we are rationalizing, rather than rational, animals who want to appear reasonable to ourselves.

Question 8

According to Stanford psychologist Claude Steele, which of the following factors is most likely to dissipate dissonance?

A) selective exposure
B) self-consistency
C) personal responsibility
D) self-affirmation

Question 9

Having run his own $1/$20 experiment, Daryl Bem states that:

A) Festinger's basic hypothesis remains sound.
B) Aronson's contributions to the theory are suspicious.
C) recent assertions about self-perception enhance the minimal justification hypothesis.
D) self-perception is a simpler explanation of the observed behavior than cognitive dissonance.

Question 10

Cognitive dissonance theory has been criticized for being too:

A) simple.
B) difficult to test.
C) dependent on humanistic research techniques.
D) deterministic.

Question 11

Postdecision dissonance is likely to heighten when an individual delays in choosing between two equally attractive alternatives.

Question 12

Entertainment is a tried-and-true way to get around people's selective exposure filters.

Question 13

One of the criticisms of cognitive dissonance theory is that it is too difficult to test.

Question 14

Selective exposure is not a significant factor if we do not regard the dissonant information as a threat.

Question 15

Warm personal relationships are highly unlikely to make people consider ideas that seem threatening.

Question 16

The reward offered to perform a behavior is inversely proportional to cognitive dissonance.

Question 17

Cognitive dissonance is not prompted by threats or punishments, only by promises or rewards.

Question 18

Dissonance is likely if the decision at hand will be difficult to reverse.

Question 19

Stanford psychologist Claude Steele assumes that dissonance always drives people to justify their actions by changing their attitudes.

Question 20

To put cognitive dissonance theory into practice, a salesperson should employ the hard sell.

Question 21

The minimal justification hypothesis suggests that ________ precedes or can change attitude.

Question 22

According to Joel Cooper, dissonance isn't created by inconsistency but by ________.

Question 23

________ is an alternative to cognitive dissonance theory and claims that people determine their attitudes the same way outside observers do.

Question 24

Which critic/extender/modifier of cognitive dissonance theory do you find most convincing: Aronson, Cooper, Steele, or Bem? Why?

Question 25

Discuss the three basic hypotheses associated with cognitive dissonance theory.

Question 26

According to Festinger, what is the causal relationship between attitude and behavior? How does this relationship affect one's attempt to influence others?

Question 27

What would Festinger have to say about the "Just say no!" drug prevention campaign?

Question 28

Define and illustrate cognitive dissonance. Is it possible to avoid?

Question 29

Using examples to develop your response, discuss the minimal justification hypothesis.

Question 30

Why is the $1/$20 experiment important to cognitive dissonance theory? Discuss the various interpretations it has inspired.

Question 31

Is persuasion utilizing cognitive dissonance principles a social influence or a self influence?

Question 32

Respond to the following quote: "Of all the theories presented in this book (or so far in this class), cognitive dissonance engenders the least respect for human nature."

Question 33

Compare the three influence theories featured in this book. What are their primary similarities and differences? Which do you find most compelling, useful, problematic, difficult to understand, or apply?

Question 34

How might one's level of cognitive complexity influence how much a person is swayed by cognitive dissonance? Is it fair to say that a person who scores high on cognitive complex is highly capable of dealing with a dissonance between attitude and action?