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

Which of the following is NOT a typical way of reducing cognitive dissonance?

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

According to the tenets of dissonance theory, when we cannot find sufficient external justification for acts such as saying something we don't truly believe, we will most likely __________.

Compare and contrast how cognitive dissonance theory and self-perception theory (Chapter 5) would explain the Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) $1/$20 experiment. Given that both theories can explain these results, in which situations is dissonance theory more likely to apply and in what conditions is self-perception theory probably operating?

Megan is always reminding her son Andrew not to talk with his mouth full. One morning, Andrew reminds her not to talk with her mouth full. This situation most resembles __________.

According to research presented in the text, students shot a roll of film and printed two photographs. Some were told that they could exchange the one they chose to keep within five days, but others were told that their choice was final. What was the independent variable of this experiment?

The local police want to convince drivers to obey the 55 miles per hour speed limit on the highways. The police chief is convinced that doubling speeding fines is the answer. You've just read the section of Chapter 6 that deals with insufficient punishment. What would you say to him?

According to the authors of your text, threats of severe punishment ultimately teach people __________.

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.

Derek is an overeater and is morbidly obese. In a conversation with a friend, he pronounces, "I may overeat, but no one can tell a joke like I can." Derek is using __________ to reduce his dissonance.

Over the weekend, you are going to meet your new romantic partner's parents for the first time. In particular, you want your partner's father to like you. How might you use the Ben Franklin effect to get him to like you more? Be sure you include an example.

In an experiment by Takaku (2006) on road rage, when drivers went through a driving simulation in which they accidentally cut off another driver, and then were cut off themselves, they were LESS likely to __________.

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?

When our behaviors are inconsistent with our values or beliefs, we are NOT likely to experience cognitive dissonance if __________.

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

Talia loves animals but still eats meat. When she experiences dissonance about the contradiction, she tells herself that she also volunteers her time at an animal shelter. This manner of reducing dissonance involves __________.

Emile just ditched a friend at a party to spend time with a pretty woman. Emile feels uncomfortable, but he tells himself it's because the woman is so hot, and not because he treated his friend badly. The way he's feeling is dissonance, but he tells himself it's sexual attraction. This describes which of the following?

According to dissonance theorists, what is the problem with severe punishment to control behaviors?

Who is most likely to convince him- or herself that he or she believes in the behavior he or she is performing?

What did Leon Festinger's (1957) original formulation of dissonance theory posit? Be sure to address what cognitive dissonance is, how and when it arises, and what people do to reduce it.