The "World-Will-End-on-October-10" group got together on October 10 to pray as the world ended. The next day, the world had not ended. The leader of the group said, "Our prayers saved the world." What process was responsible for the attitude change?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The leader of the group exhibited cognitive dissonance, which occurs when there is a conflict between one's beliefs and one's actions. The belief was that the world would end on October 10, but the action of praying to prevent it caused a conflict. To resolve the conflict, the leader attributed the continued existence of the world to the group's prayers.

The "World-Will-End-On-October-10" Group Got Together on October 10 to Pray