Suppose a mayor made a public prediction based on her beliefs, and then the outcome did not match her prediction. According to Leon Festinger's study of disconfirmed predictions, the mayor would MOST likely experience:
A) cognitive dissonance.
B) emotional disparity.
C) motivational distortion.
D) goal distortion.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory proposes that individuals experience psychological discomfort when their beliefs or attitudes are inconsistent with their behaviors or experiences. In this scenario, the mayor's prediction did not match the outcome, which creates inconsistency between her belief and reality. Therefore, she is likely to experience cognitive dissonance as she struggles to reconcile her belief with the actual outcome. Emotional disparity, motivational distortion, and goal distortion are not directly related to the theory of cognitive dissonance.

Suppose a Mayor Made a Public Prediction Based on Her