Sam hates Celine Dion with a passion. One day, he meets Celine at a party. She tries to win him over by giving him her new CD. In which of the following scenarios would Sam's attitudes toward Celine be most likely to change after hearing the CD, according to dissonance theory?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dissonance theory suggests that when there is a dissonance (conflict) between an individual's beliefs and behaviors, the individual will feel psychological discomfort and will be motivated to reduce this dissonance, often by changing their beliefs or attitudes. In option B, the reward (a free coupon) for listening to the CD is relatively small, which might not be enough to justify his action of listening to the CD if he really hates Celine Dion. This insufficient justification could lead to a change in his attitude towards Celine Dion to reduce the dissonance between his action (listening to the CD) and his previous negative attitude. Options A, C, and D involve coercion, distraction, or suppression of thoughts, which do not directly address the dissonance between attitudes and behaviors in a way that would lead to attitude change.

Sam Hates Celine Dion with a Passion