Cognitive dissonance theory accounts for Festinger and Carlsmith's (1959) results by proposing that subjects paid
A) $1 to lie felt little cognitive dissonance.
B) $1 to lie had sufficient justification for their counterattitudinal behavior.
C) $20 to lie felt high cognitive dissonance.
D) $20 to lie had sufficient justification for their counterattitudinal behavior and experienced little dissonance.

Question

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Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that those paid $20 had sufficient external justification for lying, thus experiencing little dissonance, whereas those paid $1 lacked sufficient justification, leading to higher dissonance and attitude change.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory Accounts for Festinger and Carlsmith's (1959) Results