Four-year-old Astrid does not like to get dressed early in the morning to go to day care. So rather than simply telling her to put on the clothes he laid out the night before, her father has begun to lay out several outfits. In the morning, he asks her which outfit she wants to wear for the day. Astrid's father is making use of the idea of ____.
A)the status quo bias
B)the omission bias
C)reactance
D)dissonance

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Astrid's father is using the concept of reactance, which refers to a motivational reaction to offers, persons, rules, or regulations that threaten or eliminate specific behavioral freedoms. By giving Astrid a choice among outfits, her father is reducing her potential resistance to getting dressed by allowing her to exercise her autonomy and make her own decision, thus reducing reactance.

Four-Year-Old Astrid Does Not Like to Get Dressed Early in the Morning