Recall that in experiments presented in your text (Leippe & Eisenstadt, 1994; 1998), white college students agreed to write essays in favor of doubling the funds for minority student scholarships, even though that policy would reduce the funds available for majority students. What happened?
A) Participants who were initially prejudiced did not change their attitudes, but non-prejudiced participants did.
B) Participants convinced themselves that they supported the policy of expanding aid to minority students.
C) Participants changed their attitudes about the policy, but not about minority students.
D) Participants who were prejudiced refused to write the essays.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Participants convinced themselves that they supported the policy of expanding aid to minority students. The study found that participants' attitudes shifted towards greater support for the policy, even if they initially held prejudiced views. The phenomenon is known as cognitive dissonance, where individuals experience discomfort or tension when their beliefs or behaviors are inconsistent. To reduce this discomfort, they may adjust their beliefs or attitudes to align with their actions, which in this case was writing an essay in support of minority student scholarships.

Recall That in Experiments Presented in Your Text (Leippe