Fernando's favorable attitude toward capital punishment began to change when he was asked to offer arguments opposing it in a university debate class. His attitude change is best explained by ________ theory.

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Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when people hold two contradictory beliefs or attitudes, they experience psychological discomfort (dissonance) that motivates them to resolve the inconsistency. In this case, Fernando had to argue against his originally favorable attitude towards capital punishment, leading to cognitive dissonance that caused him to re-evaluate his beliefs.

Fernando's Favorable Attitude Toward Capital Punishment Began to Change When