The insufficient justification effect refers to the
A) reduction of dissonance by internally justifying one's behaviour when external justification is "insufficient."
B) reduction of dissonance whenever needed.
C) reduction of dissonance under extremely stressful situations.
D) none of the choices are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The insufficient justification effect refers to the reduction of dissonance by internally justifying one's behavior when external justification is "insufficient." This means that a person will experience dissonance if they engage in a behavior that goes against their attitudes or beliefs, but if they are given a weak reason or justification for their behavior, they will reduce their dissonance by convincing themselves that their behavior is in line with their attitudes or beliefs. This effect has been demonstrated in numerous studies, such as Festinger and Carlsmith's classic cognitive dissonance experiment, where participants were paid $1 or $20 to perform a boring task and then asked to rate the task as enjoyable. The participants who were paid $1 (insufficient justification) rated the task as more enjoyable, while the participants who were paid $20 (sufficient justification) did not experience the same reduction in dissonance.

The Insufficient Justification Effect Refers to the