Marcia has two boyfriends,Dave and Mike,both of whom she likes very much.She has decided that dating both of them is making her life too complicated and,after careful deliberation,has decided to stop seeing Dave and continue dating only Mike.According to cognitive dissonance theory,which of the following will most likely happen next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to cognitive dissonance theory, when we make a decision that involves giving up something we value, we experience a sense of discomfort or dissonance. In order to reduce this discomfort, we tend to justify our decision by emphasizing the positive aspects of what we chose and the negative aspects of what we gave up. In this case, Marcia chose to continue dating Mike and gave up dating Dave. To reduce her dissonance, Marcia is likely to emphasize the positive aspects of Mike and the negative aspects of Dave. This may cause Mike to seem more attractive than ever and convince Marcia that she made the right choice. Therefore, option C is the best choice.

Marcia Has Two Boyfriends,Dave and Mike,both of Whom She Likes