In 1954, Marian Keech convinced her followers that aliens from planet Clarion had sent her a message that the world was coming to an end on December 21, but that they could be saved. When the world did not come to an end, Mrs. Keech and many of her followers reduced cognitive dissonance by

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This is the most likely option based on the concept of cognitive dissonance reduction. When a belief or action is contradicted by reality, individuals may reduce the resulting psychological discomfort by finding ways to justify or reaffirm their initial belief or action. In this case, Mrs. Keech and her followers may have rationalized that their efforts had been justified and had somehow prevented the end of the world.

In 1954, Marian Keech Convinced Her Followers That Aliens from Planet