The Unhappy Employee (Scenario)
Mariam is not happy in her current employment. Her job requires that she attempt to sell some products that she feels are inferior to other products in her product line. Mariam has a quota that requires that she sell both high- and low- quality products before she can receive her commission. In her opinion, the lower quality products are overpriced.
-Mariam can be expected to______ the dissonance that she feels.
A) reduce
B) reject
C) increase
D) accept

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mariam is likely to reduce the dissonance she feels because cognitive dissonance theory suggests that individuals strive to reduce the discomfort of conflicting beliefs or actions. In this case, Mariam might rationalize her actions, change her beliefs about the products, or alter her behavior to reduce the dissonance between her job requirements and her personal ethics.