Research in which participants' brains were scanned with MRIs while doing a dissonance-producing task showed that when people encounter dissonance, the ________ areas of the brain decrease in activity, and when dissonance is resolved, the ________ areas of the brain "light up."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research has shown that when people experience cognitive dissonance, the reasoning areas of the brain (such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) decrease in activity, while the emotional areas of the brain (such as the anterior cingulate cortex) increase in activity. When the dissonance is resolved (usually by changing one's beliefs or behaviors), the emotional areas decrease in activity and the reasoning areas "light up," indicating a sense of cognitive relief.

Research in Which Participants' Brains Were Scanned with MRIs While