Deborah has always wanted to go to college at Stanford. She applied but was not accepted to Stanford; however, she was accepted at U.C. Berkeley. At first, she was crushed, but then she started telling all her teachers and friends that "U.C. Berkeley is a far more interesting school." Her statement reflects an attempt to reduce ____.

Question

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Deborah's statement reflects an attempt to reduce cognitive dissonance, which occurs when there is a conflict between beliefs or behaviors. By convincing herself that U.C. Berkeley is more interesting, she is aligning her beliefs with her current situation to reduce the discomfort of not being accepted to Stanford.

Deborah Has Always Wanted to Go to College at Stanford