Lewis has agreed to proofread a long legal brief. Lewis knows that he will not receive any additional pay for his extra work, and he thinks that proofreading is boring. After the job is finished, Lewis decides that proofreading isn't such a bad job after all; he feels that at times he actually enjoyed the exacting work. Which of the following best explains Lewis's attitude change?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lewis's change in attitude can be explained by cognitive dissonance theory, which is the discomfort felt when holding two contradictory beliefs. In this case, Lewis initially believed that proofreading was boring and not worth his extra effort, but then he had to put in the effort to do the job anyway. To reduce his cognitive dissonance, he might have changed his perception of proofreading to justify his effort and make the belief consistent with his behavior.

Lewis Has Agreed to Proofread a Long Legal Brief