In an experiment, two groups were asked to drink the same brand of fruit juice. One group was simply asked politely to try the drink. The second group was tricked into drinking the juice. Suppose that, on average, the second group liked the juice more than the first. How could the theory of cognitive dissonance be used to explain these results?
A) It may violate a person's sense of consistency to be tricked; therefore members of the second group concluded that they really drank the juice because it tasted good.
B) It may violate a person's self-esteem to be tricked; consequently the juice was liked more because the respondents had paid a higher psychological price.
C) People who were asked politely would have more anticipation and more expectations of the juice than the other group. These pre-tasting conditions were harder to meet than when people were simply tricked into tasting the juice.
D) It created a larger sense of cognitive dissonance in the first group because they agree to taste the juice simply by being asked. They expressed their subconscious displeasure by rating the drink more negatively than the second group.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The theory of cognitive dissonance suggests that individuals strive for internal consistency, and when faced with actions that contradict their beliefs or expectations (such as being tricked), they may change their attitudes to align with their actions. In this case, the second group might rationalize that they enjoyed the juice to resolve the dissonance created by being tricked into drinking it.

In an Experiment, Two Groups Were Asked to Drink the Same