Question 1

You've recently learned that eating avocados,which you love,is bad for your health.To reduce the dissonance you experience after reading this news,you would most likely

Accepted Answer

The answer of You've recently learned that eating avocados,which you...

Question 2

Steven has a diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol.Assume that he has read that new scientific evidence confirms that a diet high in fat and cholesterol leads to heart disease and colon cancer.If Steven were to reduce cognitive dissonance by adding new cognitions in support of his behaviour,he would think,

Accepted Answer

Steven is reducing cognitive dissonance by adding a new cognition that supports his current behavior. By citing his grandfather's long life while consuming a similar diet, Steven can justify continuing to eat high-fat and high-cholesterol foods without experiencing discomfort from the conflicting information.

Question 3

Imagine you really enjoy lying out in the sun to get a deep,dark tan.If you heard arguments both for and against tanning,you would probably remember _______ arguments for tanning,and _______ arguments against tanning.

Accepted Answer

People tend to remember arguments that align with their preferences or desires as more plausible, while dismissing opposing arguments as implausible.

Question 4

According to the authors,every time we make a decision,we experience some amount of dissonance.Why?

Accepted Answer

The chosen alternative is seldom completely positive. This is because every alternative will have some drawbacks or negative aspects, and so when we choose one option over others, we experience some dissonance as we acknowledge the trade-offs and potential downsides of our decision.

Question 5

Maria is on a limited budget and can only afford one CD.She really likes two in particular: Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits and the soundtrack from the musical Rent.When she gets home and listens to the Frank Sinatra CD,she cannot imagine why she ever considered the Rent CD.This is because

Accepted Answer

Maria's reaction is an example of reducing post-decision dissonance, where she convinces herself that the choice she made was the best one to avoid regret.

Question 6

In general,the more _______ a decision between alternatives,the _______ the post-decision dissonance.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In general,the more _______ a decision between...

Question 7

Jack Brehm (1956)asked women to rate the desirability of a number of appliances and then allowed them to choose one of those appliances as a gift.Twenty minutes later,all women re-rated the same appliances,including the one they chose.Women tended to rate the alternatives they rejected lower than they had originally,and to rate their chosen appliance more positively.These results suggest that people

Accepted Answer

This study supports the idea that people reduce cognitive dissonance by overestimating the positive aspects of chosen alternatives and underestimating the positive aspects of rejected alternatives. This helps them feel more confident in their decision and reduces the uncomfortable feeling of dissonance.

Question 8

Who would be least likely to remember sound and well-founded arguments against smoking?

Accepted Answer

A person who has no desire to quit smoking is likely to have a biased perspective towards smoking and may not be receptive to sound and well-founded arguments against it.

Question 9

Individuals can reduce cognitive dissonance by

Accepted Answer

Adding new cognitions that are consistent with their behavior is the best option for reducing cognitive dissonance. This technique is also known as "rationalization." By creating new beliefs or justifications that align with their behavior, individuals can alleviate the discomfort caused by cognitive dissonance. The other options, such as ignoring negative cognitions or decreasing arousal, may provide temporary relief but do not address the underlying issue of conflicting beliefs and actions. pretending they did not perform a particular behavior or reducing their total number of cognitions is also not a viable option as it does not address the conflict that has already arisen due to the presence of inconsistent cognitions.

Question 10

Why do people often experience post decision dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Post-decision dissonance occurs because almost every alternative in a decision-making process has both positive and negative aspects, leading to discomfort after making a choice.

Question 11

Chloe debated for a long time about whether to take a psychology or a sociology course,both of which looked interesting.She finally chose the psychology course.Now,because she is experiencing _______,she raves about the psychology course to her friends.

Accepted Answer

Chloe's decision to take the psychology course creates a cognitive dissonance because she had to give up the alternative of taking the sociology course. Post-decision dissonance occurs when people feel conflicted about making a decision and try to reduce the discomfort by emphasizing the positive aspects of their choice and devaluing the rejected alternative. This is likely why Chloe is raving about her psychology course to her friends.

Question 12

_______ refers to the dissonance aroused after we have chosen between two or more alternatives.

Accepted Answer

Post-decision dissonance occurs when we feel uncomfortable or uncertain about the choice we made after selecting one of the options. This feeling arises because the option we didn't choose may also have had attractive features, which causes internal conflict.

Question 13

Why would a race track of all places be an excellent place to conduct research on post-decision dissonance?

Accepted Answer

A race track is an excellent place to study post-decision dissonance because it is a setting where individuals make both revocable decisions (e.g. changing their bet before the race starts) and irrevocable decisions (e.g. placing a bet that cannot be changed). This allows researchers to systematically study the consequences of both types of decisions, and the resulting cognitive dissonance that individuals may experience.

Question 14

Anita spent two months trying to decide whether to buy a PC or a MaC)She finally decided on a Mac.Now Anita most likely

Accepted Answer

Anita has already spent two months deciding between a PC and a Mac, so it's safe to assume she has weighed the pros and cons of both options. Therefore, it's likely that she made a well-informed decision and is confident in her choice.

Question 15

Many years ago,Time magazine ran a cover story entitled "Is God Dead?" Who would be most likely to remember that cover of Time?

Accepted Answer

An atheist would be most likely to remember the "Is God Dead?" cover story from Time magazine as it would have been a significant moment in the public discourse on the significance and existence of God.

Question 16

All things being equal,it would generate the most dissonance to decide which of two

Accepted Answer

Marriage is a significant life decision that involves emotional, psychological, and social factors. Choosing between two potential life partners would require deep consideration and evaluation of personal values, compatibility, and long-term goals. The decision can generate significant dissonance, especially if both options are equally attractive, have similar qualities, and can fulfill the individual's needs and desires. The consequences of the decision can significantly impact the individual's life, relationships, and well-being, thus causing dissonance. Therefore, deciding between two people to marry would generate the most dissonance compared to the other options.

Question 17

Ying just purchased a rather expensive wrist watch.She had debated for weeks about the merits of two different styles before making her final decision.It's now likely that Ying will

Accepted Answer

It is natural for people to have some doubts or regrets after making an expensive purchase. However, it is important to focus on the positive aspects of the chosen item and enjoy the benefits it provides. By emphasizing the positive aspects of the watch she decided to buy, Ying can help justify her decision and feel more confident in her choice. Continuously checking the sales for the watch she didn't choose or returning the chosen watch for the other one may not be practical or possible, and continuing to look for other options may only prolong the decision-making process and potentially lead to more regret. Therefore, emphasizing the positive aspects of the chosen watch is the best choice in this scenario.

Question 18

"Live fast and die young,that's what I always say," Rosie pronounces,as she stuffs down three more Ding-Dong snack cakes and opens another pint of high-fat ice cream.Rosie knows that her diet is unhealthy and harmful,of course.To reduce her dissonance,Rosie is

Accepted Answer

Rosie is adding a cognition ("Live fast and die young") that is consonant with her problematic behavior (eating unhealthy foods), which helps reduce her cognitive dissonance by justifying her actions.

Question 19

When your grandmother admonished you,"Never look a gift horse in the mouth," she was reminding you to be appropriately grateful for the gifts you receive.Were a dissonance theorist to remind you never to look a gift horse in the mouth,he or she would be giving you advice on how to

Accepted Answer

A dissonance theorist's advice would be related to avoiding cognitive dissonance, which is the discomfort or tension that arises from holding two conflicting beliefs or ideas. By reminding you to never look a gift horse in the mouth (i.e. to be grateful for the gift without questioning its value), the dissonance theorist would be offering guidance on how to avoid potential dissonance from receiving a gift that may not meet your expectations or desires.

Question 20

Jack Brehm (1956)asked women to rate the desirability of a number of appliances and then allowed them to choose one of those appliances as a gift.Twenty minutes later,all women re-rated the same appliances,including the one they chose.According to his findings,which of the following (fictitious)participants would rate the toaster lower than she had originally?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jack Brehm (1956)asked women to rate the...

Quiz 6: Attitudes and Attitude Change