After Mrs.Keech's doomsday predictions failed, her followers suddenly became interested in convincing others they were right.This strong need to maintain consistency in their beliefs by attracting additional followers is predicted by the __________ theory.

Question

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Cognitive dissonance theory states that when individuals encounter information that conflicts with their beliefs, they experience psychological discomfort or dissonance. In order to reduce this discomfort, they may adjust their beliefs to fit the new information or seek out further information that confirms their existing beliefs. In the case of Mrs. Keech's followers, their belief in the doomsday predictions was contradicted by the failure of these predictions to come true. In order to maintain consistency in their beliefs and reduce the discomfort of cognitive dissonance, they may have been motivated to convince others of their beliefs and attract additional followers.

After MrsKeech's Doomsday Predictions Failed, Her Followers Suddenly Became Interested in in Convincing