Kelvin says that he thinks that smoking is wrong. One time, he takes a drag of his roommate's cigarette. Later, Kelvin feels uncomfortable because his behavior violated his attitude, so he decides that he doesn't think smoking is so wrong after all. Kelvin's change of belief can best be explained by __________ theory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory explains that when there is a conflict between beliefs and behaviors, individuals experience discomfort and are motivated to reduce this discomfort by changing their beliefs or behaviors. Kelvin changes his belief about smoking to reduce the dissonance between his actions and his previous attitude.

Kelvin Says That He Thinks That Smoking Is Wrong