Question 1

Recall that Brehm (1956) asked women to rate the desirability of a number of appliances and then allowed them to choose one of those appliances as a gift. Twenty minutes later, all women re-rated the same appliances, including the one they chose. Women tended to rate the alternatives they rejected lower than they had originally, and to rate their chosen appliance more positively. These results suggest that people __________.

Accepted Answer

The results of Brehm's study suggest that people reduce dissonance by overestimating the differences between the chosen and unchosen alternatives, leading them to rate the chosen alternative more positively and the rejected alternatives less positively. This is consistent with the theory of cognitive dissonance.

Question 2

Mohammad recently purchased a new computer. He debated for weeks about whether to buy a PC or a Mac. He went ahead and purchased a Mac. It's now likely that Mohammad will __________.

Accepted Answer

Mohammad has made his purchase and is unlikely to continue researching or reconsidering his decision. It is more likely that he will focus on the positive qualities of the Mac that he has chosen in order to reinforce his conviction that he made the right choice. It is unlikely that he will return the Mac and switch to a PC.

Question 3

Because dissonance reduction processes are mostly unconscious, people __________.

Accepted Answer

Dissonance reduction processes happen mostly unconsciously, so people may not realize how they are attempting to reduce their discomfort. As a result, they may overestimate the potential negative impact of feedback, as they overuse bias to protect their self-image.

Question 4

Misaki feels terrible after just failing an exam in Spanish class. Now, in chemistry class, her lab partner just left the answers to the homework open on her desk while she steps into the hall to take a phone call. How is Misaki likely to behave?

Accepted Answer

Misaki is feeling terrible after failing an exam, which might make her more tempted to look at the answers to avoid another failure.

Question 5

Someone reminds you to be appropriately grateful for the gifts you receive. Were a dissonance theorist to remind you to be thankful, he or she would be giving you advice on how to __________.

Accepted Answer

A dissonance theorist would advise you to be appropriately grateful for gifts in order to avoid cognitive dissonance, which is the uncomfortable feeling of holding two conflicting beliefs or attitudes. By showing gratitude, you are reducing the dissonance between the belief that you value the gift and the attitude of not expressing gratitude.

Question 6

All things being equal, it would generate the most dissonance to decide which of two __________.

Accepted Answer

Deciding which person to marry is a highly personal and emotionally charged decision. The potential dissonance between two options could be much greater compared to deciding on a class to take, computer to buy, or apartment to rent.

Question 7

Jacob interviewed for a job that was perfect for him. He received a call today telling him that he did not get the job. What is Jacob most likely to do now?

Accepted Answer

Jacob is likely to experience some disappointment upon hearing the news that he did not get the job. However, rather than dwelling on the negative, he may choose to put a positive spin on the situation. For example, he may tell himself that he's now free to pursue other opportunities that may be even better suited to his skills and interests. This mindset can help him feel better and stay motivated in his job search.

Question 8

Recall that Brehm (1956) asked women to rate the desirability of a number of appliances, and then allowed them to choose one of those appliances as a gift. Twenty minutes later, all women re-rated the same appliances, including the one they chose. According to his findings, which of the following (fictitious) participants would rate the toaster lower than she had originally?

Accepted Answer

According to Brehm's findings, participants who had to choose between equally desirable options experienced post-decision dissonance, which led them to rate the rejected alternative lower than they originally had. Therefore, June, who chose the waffle iron instead of the toaster, is most likely to rate the toaster lower than she originally did. Participants who felt pressured to select a specific option, already rated an option low at the outset, or chose an option they loved are not as likely to experience post-decision dissonance and change their ratings.

Question 9

According to the authors of your text, every time we make a decision, we experience some amount of dissonance. Why?

Accepted Answer

The chosen alternative is seldom completely positive, leading to dissonance because individuals must reconcile the negative aspects of their choice with their decision.

Question 10

__________ refers to the dissonance aroused after we have chosen between two or more alternatives.

Accepted Answer

Postdecision dissonance is the discomfort or tension that arises when we have made a decision between two or more alternatives. This discomfort can lead us to rationalize or justify our choice, often by emphasizing the positives of the chosen option and the negatives of the alternatives. Justification of effort refers to the tendency to value something more if we have put effort or work into it. Insufficient justification occurs when a person experiences cognitive dissonance about a decision they have made and tries to reduce the dissonance by altering their attitude towards the decision. Decisional regret is the feeling of remorse or distress that we experience after making a choice that is not the best option.

Question 11

Imagine you really enjoy lying out in the sun to get a deep, dark tan. If you heard arguments both for and against tanning, you would probably remember __________ arguments for tanning and __________ arguments against tanning.

Accepted Answer

People tend to remember arguments that align with their preferences as more plausible, while dismissing opposing arguments as implausible.

Question 12

Millie spent two months deciding whether to buy a compact car or an SUV. She finally decided on the SUV. Millie mostly likely __________.

Accepted Answer

Since Millie made a decision after two months of contemplation, it can be assumed that she weighed the pros and cons of both vehicles and finally chose the SUV. Therefore, it is most likely that she believes she made the right decision.

Question 13

Maria is on a limited budget and can only afford one album. She really likes two in particular: Iron and Wine's Greatest Hits and the soundtrack from the musical Hamilton. When she gets to listen to the Iron and Wine album, she cannot imagine why she ever considered the Hamilton album. This is because __________.

Accepted Answer

Postdecision dissonance refers to the discomfort or doubts that a person can feel after making a decision between two options. In this case, Maria is experiencing postdecision dissonance because she is second-guessing her decision to buy the Iron and Wine album instead of the Hamilton soundtrack. To reduce her discomfort, she convinces herself that the Iron and Wine album is better and cannot imagine why she ever considered the Hamilton album.

Question 14

According to the authors of your text, after you carefully make a decision, what is likely to happen?

Accepted Answer

This is known as post-decision dissonance reduction, where individuals tend to focus more on the positive aspects and benefits of their decision in order to reduce any feelings of discomfort or doubt.

Question 15

After reducing postdecision dissonance, people are more likely to rate the chosen and unchosen alternatives as __________.

Accepted Answer

After reducing postdecision dissonance, people tend to view their chosen alternative as much more desirable than the unchosen one, making them appear more dissimilar. This is a way to justify their decision and feel better about the choice they made.

Question 16

Why do people often experience postdecision dissonance?

Accepted Answer

Almost every alternative in decision-making has its pros and cons. After making a choice, individuals often experience discomfort (dissonance) because they are aware of the downsides of the chosen alternative and the upsides of the rejected ones. This awareness can lead to second-guessing and regret, which are central to the experience of postdecision dissonance.

Question 17

Chloe debated for a long time about whether to take a psychology or a sociology course, both of which looked interesting. She finally chose the psychology course. Now, because she is experiencing __________, she raves about the psychology course to her friends.

Accepted Answer

Postdecision dissonance refers to the discomfort experienced after making a difficult decision. Chloe had a difficult time deciding between psychology and sociology, but ultimately chose psychology. To reduce the discomfort of her decision, she may be emphasizing the positive aspects of the psychology course and raving about it to her friends.

Question 18

Who would be LEAST likely to remember sound and well-founded arguments against smoking?

Accepted Answer

A person who has no desire to quit smoking is least likely to remember sound and well-founded arguments against smoking because they may not be motivated to consider quitting or changing their behavior.

Question 19

When making a decision, the more __________ the decision, the greater the need for dissonance reduction.

Accepted Answer

The more permanent and irrevocable a decision is (such as getting a tattoo or getting married), the greater the need for dissonance reduction. This is because the decision cannot be easily reversed, so the individual may experience cognitive dissonance if they perceive negative consequences or regret.

Question 20

According to the authors of your text, people experience dissonance __________.

Accepted Answer

People experience dissonance every time they make a decision because making a choice often involves rejecting alternatives, which can lead to feelings of discomfort or dissonance as they reconcile the decision with the potential benefits of the unchosen options.

Quiz 6: Cognitive Dissonance and the Need to Protect Our Self-Esteem