Celia, who is a college student, has always thought of herself as an environmental activist.Recently, she "inherited" a gas-guzzling car from her parents, which she has been driving around campus.To reduce the cognitive dissonance that she feels from these clashing images of herself, the environmental activist and the gas-guzzling car owner, she might _____ by saying that it is an old car and keeping it on the road makes good use of the resources consumed when it was manufactured.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Adding consonant thoughts involves finding new ideas or justifications that are consistent with both aspects of the situation, in this case being an environmental activist who owns a gas-guzzling car. By rationalizing that the car is old and keeping it on the road is a way to conserve resources, Celia can reduce the dissonance she feels between her self-image and her behavior. Changing her attitude, behavior, or reducing her perceived choice are not relevant options in this scenario.

Celia, Who Is a College Student, Has Always Thought of Herself