The World-Will-End-on-June-7 group got together on June 7 to pray as the world ended.The next day the world did not end.The leader of the group said,"Our prayers saved the world." What process was responsible for the attitude change?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The leader's attitude change that their prayers saved the world indicates cognitive dissonance. The belief that the world will end on a specific date is a strong belief, and when that belief is proved false, it creates dissonance. In order to reduce this dissonance, the leader altered their belief and rationalized the failure of the prophecy by giving credit to their prayer.

The World-Will-End-On-June-7 Group Got Together on June 7 to Pray