The famous case study of the group of true believers that formed around the psychic Marion Keech conducted by Festinger and his colleagues indicated that
A)members will leave a group when the costs become too great.
B)groups move through a conflict phase before they reach their cohesive peak.
C)individuals seek rewarding groups,rather than costly ones.
D)members who must invest in the group sometimes become more committed to it.
E)leaders can create cohesiveness by increasing esprit de corps within the group.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The famous case study demonstrated that members who had invested time, money, or effort into the group became more committed to it even when faced with evidence that contradicted their beliefs. Festinger referred to this as cognitive dissonance, and it suggests that individuals are motivated to reduce the discomfort of holding conflicting or inconsistent beliefs. This finding supports choice D, which states that members who must invest in the group become more committed.

The Famous Case Study of the Group of True Believers