1. Cognitive Dissonance Theory –
Why So Influential?

2. Traditional Persuasion Techniques
Greater rewards lead to more responses
B) Greater punishment leads to less responses
C) Use of "credible" sources (experts, authority figures)
D) Use of conformity paradigms (e.g., Asch, Sherif)

3. Some Weaknesses of Traditional Persuasion Approaches
Effects not very strong
B) Short-term effects
C) Limited to less important issues

4. THEORY OF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE (1957) *
Leon Festinger
THEORY OF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE (1957) *
BASIC HYPOTHESIS
The existence of dissonance, being psychologically uncomfortable, will motivate the person to try and reduce the dissonance and achieve consonance
Behavior inconsistent
with the attitude
Attitude (e.g., positive self-concept)
Creation of dissonance
Key role of Justification

5. ~ Reducing Dissonance ~
Attitude: “I’m not going to smoke cigarettes anymore”)
Behavior: Smoke cigarettes
Some Options
1) Change behavior (e.g., Throw pack away)
Change cognitions (e.g., “Smoking isn’t all that bad”; “I don’t really smoke that much”)
3) Add supporting cognitions (e.g., “ Smoking relaxes me” “it helps me think better”

6. Reducing Dissonance (cont.).
Self-Affirmation:
Do something foolish or poor (e.g., insult an innocent person, fail on a task related to one’s self concept, continue to smoke despite intentions to quit)
I’m a generous, nice person; a good spouse

8. Impact Bias
[Overestimating the severity or duration of one’s emotional reactions to a negative event in the future]
Not being hired for a desirable job; or being rejected for graduate school
Expect to be VERY upset BUT
Justification occurs:
Company/school was not that good anyway; didn’t really want to work or go to school there. Interview was lousy; Selection process was unfair
*** We overestimate our emotional reactions because it is largely unconscious

9. Which would you prefer?
Being able to return a purchased item within 30 days
2) Being told that all sales are final

10. Role of Decision Permanence (Irrevocability) *
Take pictures and print 2 of them (those interested in learning about photography while participating in psychology study)
Could exchange photographs within 5 days
Decision regarding photographs was final
Liked their final decision less
Also, study regarding confidence regarding betting on a horse:
Before placing bet
After placing bet More confident
(Know & Inkster, 1968)
Predictions were wrong too! Students predicted that they’d be happier if they could keep their options open regarding the photographs (Gilbert & Ebert, 2002)

11. Flaw in This Logic?

12. Dissonance Reduction and Personal Values
Measured 6th graders attitudes about cheating
Gave opportunity to cheat in a game
Easy to cheat
Cheating almost necessary to win
Believed cheating could not be detected
Some cheat, some do not cheat
Next day ---
Those who cheated were more lenient toward cheating (e.g., “everyone does it,” “it’s not so bad”
Those who did not cheat, were more extreme in their views against cheating (“Could have got a better grade but cheating is very wrong/not moral; cheating is awful to do”)

13. The Cheating Pyramid * “It’s not so unethical, I need this grade”
“Cheating is really wrong; everybody loses”
“It’s not a good thing”
“... but it’s not such a bad thing”
“Oh please, it’s no big deal”
“It’s disgusting! Expel cheaters!”

14. Effort Justification*
[The tendency for individuals to increase their liking for something they have worked hard to attain]
STUDY: College students volunteered to join a group that would be meeting regularly to discuss various aspects of the psychology of sex. Different levels of initiation used: 1) Severe, 2) Mild, 3) No Initiation.
Applied Examples:
Military, Fraterities/Sororities (hazing) .....

15. FESTINGER & CARLSMITH (1$ - $20 Study) Counterattitudinal Advocacy *
Asked to tell participant that the task was interesting
Perform boring task $1
Rate task
$20
Which group rated the task as more interesting after lying,
those paid $1 or $20?
Key is lack of sufficient external justification for one’s behavior

16. ~ Counterattitudinal Advocacy ~
Marijuana Legalization
Original belief = “No”
Asked to give speech opposite of their attitude (for legalization)
Small fee to write pro legalization
Large fee to write pro legalization
More positive views of legalization

17. Punishment & Self-Persuasion
“TOY” STUDY *
Punishment & Self-Persuasion
Children rate desirability of toys
Told they were NOT allowed to play with the a desirable toy
MILD
THREAT
SEVERE THREAT
Children did not play with the desired toy
Later, when given the chance, which group was less likely to play with the toy they previously liked?

18. Results of Forbidden Toy Study

19. - External Versus Internal Justification -
External Justification (I did it for the money; I didn’t do it because I’d be punished a lot)
Large Reward or Severe Punishment
Temporary change
Internal Justification (I didn’t really lie, the task was okay; I really didn’t like the toy anyway)
Small Reward or Mild Punishment
Lasting change

20. Hypocrisy Paradigm
Hypocrisy Group: Made a list of the times they found it difficult or impossible to use condoms
Applied Example: Reducing road rage – awareness of one’s own mistake while driving (e.g., cutting someone off )

21. Hypocrisy Paradigm & Road Rage*10 8 6 4 2
Participants cut off driver than get cut off by someone after
Cut off driver
Don’t cut off driver
Stability
Negative intention
Forgiveness

22. ~ Ben Franklin Effect ~ *
[When we dislike someone, if we do them a favor, we will like them more]
- Rival legislator who did not like him; Franklin asked to borrow a book -
Why?
– Behavior is dissonant with attitude
– Change attitude about person to resolve dissonance
Justification of Kindness
Asked to donate $$ won to help experimenter continue research

23. More Cognitive Dissonance Occurs When: *
Choice is involved
2) Commitment has been made
3) Individuals are responsible for any consequences of their behavior (and if the consequences could be anticipated)
4) Negative consequences are believed to be likely to occur
One’s self-concept is involved
Important decisions
7) Permanent decisions (e.g., “all sales are final”)

24. SELF-PERCEPTION THEORY *
DARYL BEM
Internal States (e.g., “So-called “private” stimuli, physiological)
“Gross” evaluation (e.g., “I feel happy”; “I feel sad”
Use of external social cues for precise discriminations (e.g., other people’s behavior or one’s own actions, statements, thoughts)
Attitudes formed

25. SELF-PERCEPTION STUDY *
Attutude
survey (on
environmental
issues
Behavioral
survey (what
people actually
did about
environmental
issues
Attitude
survey (on
environmental
issues
WEAK
STRONG
Those with weak initial environmental attitudes had their attitudes affected by their responses to the behavior questionnaire