Suppose that both Oscar and Sam went through hazing rituals for the same fraternity. Oscar went through a very long and involved hazing process while Sam went through relatively mild rituals. After they both got into the fraternity, they realized that there were a lot of negative things associated with membership that they hadn't expected. According to cognitive dissonance, which of the following would you expect to happen?
A) Oscar would love the fraternity more than Sam because he went through more to get into it.
B) Sam would want to stay in the fraternity more than Oscar because Sam realizes that he accepted the membership even though he didn't like it.
C) Both Oscar and Sam would like the fraternity equally.
D) Sam and Oscar would dislike the fraternity equally because of all the negatives associated with it.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that individuals who undergo a great deal of effort or discomfort to achieve something are likely to value it more highly, in order to justify the effort they put into obtaining it. Thus, Oscar, who went through a longer and more involved hazing process, would be more likely to love the fraternity more than Sam, who experienced milder rituals.

Suppose That Both Oscar and Sam Went Through Hazing Rituals