Suppose that someone has just opened a new night club and you freely choose to carry a big, obnoxious, heavy sign advertising this business around campus for three hours on a very hot day. According to _____________, you would probably rate this activity as the most enjoyable (or the least boring) if someone paid you _____ to do it.
A)the cognitive dissonance theory; $1
B)the self-fulfilling prophecy; $25
C)the norm of reciprocity; $1
D)the cognitive dissonance theory; $25
E)the norm of reciprocity; $25

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when there is a discrepancy between beliefs and behaviors, individuals will adjust their beliefs to reduce the dissonance. Being paid only $1 for a disagreeable task would lead to greater dissonance than being paid $25, thus one would be more likely to rationalize the activity as enjoyable to justify the effort for such little reward.

Suppose That Someone Has Just Opened a New Night Club