Deck 6: The Need to Justify Our Actions: the Costs and Benefits of Dissonance Reduction

Question 1

Cognitive dissonance always

A)leads to a change in behavior.
B)produces discomfort.
C)leads to the rationalization trap.
D)makes people produce new cognitions.

Answer 1

produces discomfort.

Question 2

"Live fast and die young,that's what I always say," Rosie pronounces,as she stuffs down three more Ding- Dong snack cakes and opens another pint of high-fat ice cream.Rosie knows that her diet is unhealthy and harmful,of course.To reduce her dissonance,Rosie is

A)changing her behavior to bring it in line with her cognitions.
B)changing a problem cognition to make it more consonant with her behavior.
C)adding a cognition that is consonant with her problem behavior.
D)engaging in self-affirmation to combat cognitive dissonance.

Answer 2

adding a cognition that is consonant with her problem behavior.

Question 3

People tend to fall subject to the impact bias (and not understand that they will usually successfully reduce cognitive dissonance)because reducing cognitive dissonance is

A)a painful process.
B)controlled and conscious.
C)largely unconscious.
D)quick and effortful.

Answer 3

largely unconscious.

Question 4

Rudy thinks that if he ever got kicked off the football team he would be depressed for months,and that his life would lose all meaning.In actuality,his response would probably not be this severe or prolonged.What is Rudy demonstrating?

A)the impact bias
B)self-affirmation
C)lowballing
D)effort justification

Question 5

Members of the Heaven's Gate cult,who "knew" there was a spaceship following the Hale-Bopp comet,returned a perfectly good telescope they had purchased because they failed to see the spaceship they knew was there.Such behaviors demonstrate that

A)cult leaders go to great lengths to brainwash their members.
B)people will often go to extreme lengths to justify their actions or beliefs.
C)pleasant,smart,reasonable people are seldom drawn to cults.
D)scientists,like many of us,are fascinated with the macabre,gruesome aspects of life.

Question 6

The authors of your text explain that people tend to overestimate how bad they will feel if a negative event were to happen to them.This tendency is called

A)the rationalization trap.
B)cognitive dissonance.
C)self-affirmation.
D)the impact bias.

Question 7

George thinks of himself as an honest person until his brother reminds him that he's been known to keep extra change given to him by a cashier and to stock his home office for a sideline business with supplies taken from his job.George is now probably feeling a sense of discomfort known as

A)misattribution of arousal.
B)self-serving bias.
C)cognitive dissonance
D)anxiety.

Question 8

Individuals are most likely to reduce cognitive dissonance by

A)pretending they did not perform a particular behavior.
B)reducing their total number of cognitions.
C)adding new cognitions that are consistent with their behavior.
D)decreasing their arousal.

Question 9

When people receive bad news-perhaps that they did not get a dream job they applied and interviewed for- what tends to happen?

A)People usually feel worse than they expect they were going to.
B)People tend to feel about as bad as they thought they would.
C)People realize they really weren't qualified for the job anyway.
D)People usually put a spin on the news that makes them feel better.

Question 10

Susan carefully rinses her mouth with an unpleasant-tasting mouthwash every day.One day,Susan reads an article reporting credible dental research that suggests that mouthwash is completely ineffective and that mouthwash may even be related to tooth decay.The discomfort that Susan experiences in response to this article is called

A)insufficient justification.
B)cognitive dissonance.
C)self-discrepancy.
D)self-justification.

Question 11

Which of the following examples of inconsistencies is likely to generate the most cognitive dissonance and to cause the most upset?

A)Betty forgets her umbrella on a day for which bad rainstorms were forecast.
B)Leslie wanted to arrive on time,but is caught in traffic and arrives late.
C)Mitch exceeds the posted speed limit and is given an expensive fine.
D)Ned,who perceives himself as a good parent,hollers at his son.

Question 12

You've recently learned that eating avocados,which you love,is bad for your health.To reduce the dissonance you experience after reading this news,you would most likely

A)question the validity of the research and the integrity of the scientists.
B)consume a larger quantity of avocados.
C)tell all of your friends about the findings.
D)reread the article more carefully.

Question 13

When people act contrary to their self-perceptions as reasonable and sensible people,they experience a feeling known as ____.

A)defensive attribution
B)low self-esteem
C)affective ambivalence
D)cognitive dissonance

Question 14

"There's no way I'd give up drinking! I'd just be stressed out all the time" says Lilly,as she sips her third martini of the evening.Lilly's comments about her drinking habit are an example of using to ____ reduce cognitive dissonance.

A)minimized shift
B)justification
C)behavior change
D)cognitive change

Question 15

Not all attempts to reduce cognitive dissonance are counterproductive.For example,Shelley Taylor and her colleagues (1989,1995,1996)have found that

A)people who harbor unrealistic illusions about surviving terminal illness can actually live longer.
B)smokers who reduce cognitive dissonance by changing one of their inconsistent cognitions are often able to quit.
C)inconsistent cognitions can actually cause people to engage in safe sex practices.
D)people who hold self-serving cognitions seldom experience cognitive dissonance.

Question 16

Research has revealed that not all inconsistent cognitions are equally upsetting.Those inconsistencies that are most powerful and upsetting involve

A)a threat to one's self-esteem.
B)inconsistencies between experiences and expectations.
C)inconsistencies among powerful attitudes.
D)the validation of one's negative self-image.

Question 17

Hai has been taking expensive beta-carotene supplements for years because he believes they will reduce his risk of cancer.Hai has just learned that a well-controlled study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine showed that beta-carotene supplements do not reduce cancer risk.Hai is probably experiencing

A)cognitive dissonance.
B)self-affirmation.
C)the rationalization trap.
D)self-discrepancy.

Question 18

A tobacco grower says,"I'm not the only one growing it.If I stop,someone else will be there." Assuming that the man was experiencing dissonance from the fact that he was making his living from a crop that is bad for people's health,he appears to be reducing this dissonance by

A)changing his behavior.
B)changing his cognitions.
C)adding new cognitions.
D)self-affirmation in an unrelated domain.

Question 19

According to the authors of your text,one of the most powerful determinants of human behavior stems from our need to

A)acquire as much social power as possible.
B)forge strong connections with other people.
C)preserve and maintain a relatively favorable view of ourselves.
D)behave in rational,logical,reasonable ways.

Question 20

The most typical ways of reducing dissonance include all of the following except

A)forgetting about our past statements that contradict our behavior.
B)changing our behavior to bring it into line with dissonant cognitions.
C)justifying our behavior by changing dissonant cognitions.
D)justifying our behavior by adding new cognitions.

Question 21

Scott believes very strongly that saccharine is an unsafe sugar substitute that may even cause cancer.Even though Scott is diabetic,and thus should be using sugar substitutes,he often opts for sugar-laden foods and drinks to avoid saccharine."I'll just exercise more later; the sugar isn't a big deal.I'm really being healthier by avoiding saccharine," he thinks to himself.Scott's behavior and thoughts are examples of ____ in the face of cognitive dissonance.

A)harmonizing
B)rationalizing
C)patronizing
D)denial

Question 22

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

A)a person who has finally quit smoking after repeated attempts
B)a person who keeps trying to quit smoking without success
C)a person who has no desire to quit smoking
D)a person who has never smoked

Question 23

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

A)avoid cognitive dissonance.
B)avoid things that might be costly.
C)prevent consonance in your cognitions.
D)prevent insufficient justification.

Question 24

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

A)You will focus on the negative aspects of the choice you made.
B)You will experience dissonance for several days.
C)You will start to think more and more about the good qualities of your decision.
D)You will begin to regret all the time you put into making your decision.

Question 25

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.

A)insufficient justification
B)post-decision dissonance
C)a justification of effort
D)a threat to self-evaluation maintenance

Question 26

Jay just found out that he was not accepted into his dream college.Based on information from the authors of your text about impact bias,which of the following best reflects how Jay will react?

A)He will become severely depressed.
B)He will not go to college at all unless he can get admitted into his dream school.
C)He will get over it rather quickly.
D)It actually will not bother him in the least.

Question 27

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

A)Justification of effort
B)Post-decision dissonance
C)Insufficient justification
D)Decisional regret

Question 28

The researchers Jones and Kohler (1959)exposed people who were strongly in favor of segregation and strongly opposed to segregation to both plausible and silly arguments in favor of both sides of the issue.They found that people tended to best recall

A)all arguments equally well.
B)rational arguments of the opposing side best.
C)rational arguments of their side and silly arguments of the opposite side the best.
D)all arguments from the opposing side better than those of their own side.

Question 29

When people try to maintain their self-esteem and reduce cognitive dissonance,they may resort to maladaptive thinking known as

A)heuristics.
B)schemas.
C)norms.
D)rationalizing.

Question 30

Recall that Jack 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?

A)June,who chose the waffle iron instead
B)Donna,who felt pressured to select the iron
C)Maude,who rated the toaster lowest at the outset
D)Edith,who loves toast and jelly,and chose the toaster

Question 31

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.

A)long; short
B)short; long
C)plausible; implausible
D)implausible; plausible

Question 32

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

A)After people invest effort,they are motivated to second-guess themselves.
B)The rejected alternative is seldom completely positive.
C)The chosen alternative is seldom completely positive.
D)People seldom seek out objective information before decision-making.

Question 33

A person who supports gay marriage listens to a televised debate between two politicians on either side of the issue.According to dissonance theory,this person is likely to remember

A)the best arguments on each side of the issue,regardless of who presented them.
B)only the arguments presented by the person who was for gay marriage.
C)only the arguments presented by the person who was against gay marriage.
D)the most plausible arguments in favor of gay marriage and the most implausible arguments against it.

Question 34

Recall that Jack 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

A)seldom collect enough information before making decisions.
B)reduce dissonance by overestimating differences between chosen and unchosen alternatives.
C)are more likely to experience cognitive dissonance when decisions are irrevocable.
D)experience more dissonance when their decisions implicate their self-concepts as rational and reasonable.

Question 35

Recall that E.E.Jones and Rika Kohler (1959)provided participants with both plausible and silly persuasive arguments both in favor of and against racial segregation,and then tested participants' memory for those persuasive arguments.Their results suggested that

A)Northerners were more rational than Southerners.
B)prejudiced participants were less rational than nonprejudiced participants.
C)something as "objective" as memory can be distorted for self-serving reasons.
D)people recall plausible arguments and ignore the implausible ones.

Question 36

Because dissonance reduction processes are mostly unconscious,people

A)tend to use them as coping strategies.
B)often will overestimate how badly negative feedback may affect them.
C)usually will put a lot of effort into reducing cognitive dissonance.
D)must change their behaviors,not their thoughts,to reduce feelings of dissonance.

Question 37

Ying just purchased a rather expensive wristwatch.She had debated for weeks about the merits of two different styles before making her final decision.It's now likely that Ying will

A)continue to check the newspaper to monitor sales for the watch she opted not to buy.
B)emphasize all of the positive aspects of the chosen watch.
C)wish that she purchased the other watch.
D)return the chosen watch and exchange it for the other watch.

Question 38

Recall that E.E.Jones and Rika Kohler (1959)exposed people who were strongly in favor of segregation and strongly opposed to segregation to both plausible and silly arguments in favor of both sides of the issue.If those people were responding in a purely rational or logical way,they would be most likely to remember

A)plausible arguments on both sides of the issue.
B)improbable or unconvincing arguments on both sides of the issue.
C)silly or unconvincing arguments on their side of the issue.
D)silly or unconvincing arguments on the other side of the issue.

Question 39

According to the authors of your text,people experience dissonance

A)every time they make a decision.
B)when they know they did the wrong thing.
C)when their goals do not match what society expects of them.
D)they make biased decisions.

Question 40

Maria is on a limited budget,and can only afford one compact disk (CD).She really likes two in particular: Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits and the soundtrack from the musical Wicked.When she gets home and listens to the Frank Sinatra CD,she cannot imagine why she ever considered the Wicked CD.This is because

A)Maria has to justify buying a CD,given her limited budget.
B)Frank Sinatra music reminds Maria of her childhood.
C)Maria was motivated to reduce her post-decision dissonance.
D)Maria wasn't sure about the store's return policy.

Question 41

Lisa is a car salesperson.She has just gotten you to agree to a deal on a new car and to write out a check for the down payment.She takes this to her manager and comes back awhile later saying that,because of taxes and fees,the price of the car will actually come out to $600 over what you agreed upon.According to the research on lowballing,which of the following is most likely to occur?

A)You would decide to buy the car anyway because you realize the decision is reversible.
B)You would decide to buy the car only if you are not excited by the anticipation of the event.
C)You would decide to buy the car anyway because there is an illusion of irrevocability (i.e.,you don't feel that you can reverse your decision).
D)You would not buy the car because salespeople are generally ineffective at persuading buyers to do what they want.

Question 42

Of the four people presented below,which one would feel the least regret about altering her appearance,based on information in your text about cognitive dissonance?

A)Cheryl,who just got a tattoo
B)Lisa,who is wearing a new outfit
C)Misty,who just got her nails painted
D)Darlene,who is wearing a new shade of lipstick

Question 43

People who had already placed their two-dollar bets were more confident than people who were waiting in line to place their bets (Knox & Inkster,1968).These findings suggest that decisions that are ____ generate more cognitive dissonance than decisions that are not.

A)important
B)coerced
C)irrevocable
D)trivial

Question 44

Why do people often experience post-decision dissonance?

A)They are motivated to believe in a just world.
B)Almost every alternative has both an upside and a downside,and people feel uncomfortable.
C)People fear that indecision will be evaluated negatively by others.
D)It's easier to value an option we've chosen than to disparage an option we've rejected.

Question 45

Mariah has had a hard semester,and her grades have suffered.She really needs a good grade in psychology to get off academic probation and stay in school.On the next psychology exam,Mariah is sorely tempted to cheat,but she decides not to.Which of the following pairs of cognitions best reflects the source of any dissonance Mariah might experience while deciding not to cheat?

A)"My school life could be over"; "I just gave up a chance to help myself."
B)"I'm basically a decent,honest person"; "These exam questions are ambiguous and tricky."
C)"I'm a basically an honest person"; "I've never seen any of my friends cheat."
D)"So much is riding on this exam"; "I just know that if I try it,I'll get caught."

Question 46

In which case is lowballing least likely to work?

A)Jeremy is lowballed after he puts a down payment on a car which he has been planning to buy for months.
B)Cassie is lowballed after she spends thirty minutes filling out contracts on her car purchase.
C)Tess is lowballed,and although before the lowball she could get the car she wanted for $50 less at the dealer she chose,after the lowball she would save $800 if she backed out of her deal.
D)Philip is lowballed,and he's in a hurry to close the deal because he's trying to finish it on his lunch break.

Question 47

After reducing post-decision dissonance,people are more likely to rate the chosen and unchosen alternatives as

A)being very similar,with about equal strengths and weaknesses.
B)having an equal number of strengths,but the chosen alternative as having fewer weaknesses.
C)being more dissimilar,such that the chosen alternative is much more desirable than the unchosen one.
D)being similar in terms of weaknesses,but the chosen alternative has more strengths.

Question 48

Carla has just written out a check for $13,999 to pay for her new car.Although the salesperson had initially accepted her check,she is now told that there was a mistake and that the final total should really be $14,250.Carla writes another check for $251 to cover the difference so that she can drive out with her new car.Carla has just fallen prey to a questionable sales practice called

A)"lowballing."
B)"bait-and-switch."
C)the "dissonance game."
D)"keep 'em guessing."

Question 49

Researchers (Knox & Inkster,1968)visited a race track and interviewed people betting on the horses,both before and after they had placed their bets.They found that ____ were more confident in their betting decisions because ____.

A)people who had already placed their bets; their bets changed the odds
B)people who had already placed their bets; they couldn't change their minds
C)people who had placed small,two-dollar bets; they stood to lose less
D)people who were waiting to place large bets; they reported more experience

Question 50

After filing your ballot for an election,you are more convinced than you were before filing the ballot that you voted for the best candidate.This example illustrates the idea that when decisions are ____,individuals engage in a greater amount of dissonance reduction.

A)imminent
B)ambiguous
C)irrevocable
D)simple

Question 51

In a study by Gilbert and Ebert (2002),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.Which group of students liked their photograph best?

A)Those who were given the exchange period,because in the U.S.,students value choice.
B)Those who were not given an exchange period,because the decision was irrevocable.
C)They both liked their photos equally well.
D)Those who could exchange the photo,because they could copy the first,then get the second as well.

Question 52

Imagine that before a test,the professor told Jake that if he is caught cheating,he will be expelled.Imagine that the professor told Amanda that,if caught cheating,her only punishment will be to write a short paper about why cheating is wrong.If both students don't cheat,what would dissonance theory predict?

A)Amanda will feel more honest than Jake will.
B)Jake will feel more honest than Amanda will.
C)Amanda and Jake will each feel as honest as the other.
D)Neither Jake nor Amanda will feel honest because they were both threatened.

Question 53

People generally ____ think they will like to be able to easily change a decision they've made; however,the research on cognitive dissonance suggests that people actually are ____ with their choice when a decision is more permanent.

A)do; happier
B)do; not as happy
C)do not; happier
D)do not; not as happy

Question 54

When unscrupulous salespeople use lowballing as a means of selling cars,they take advantage of buyers' illusions that their decision to buy a particular car was

A)freely chosen.
B)irrevocable.
C)easy to make.
D)coerced.

Question 55

The Pattersons bought their TV from a store with a thirty-day return policy,and the Stevensons bought the same TV from a different store with a policy that "All Sales Are Final!" Based on what the text reports about cognitive dissonance,which family is more likely to be satisfied with their TV?

A)the Pattersons
B)the Stevensons
C)they will be equally happy
D)the Pattersons,but only if they paid less than the Stevensons

Question 56

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

A)classes to take.
B)computers to buy.
C)apartments to rent.
D)people to marry.

Question 57

Anita spent two months trying to decide whether to buy an IBM computer or a Macintosh. She finally decided on a Mac.Now,Anita most likely

A)wishes she'd bought the IBM.
B)is certain she made the right decision.
C)still thinks IBMs and Macs are equally good computers.
D)tries to convince all her friends to buy IBMs.

Question 58

The authors of your text report that lowballing works as a persuasion technique for three reasons.Which of the following is NOT one of those reasons?

A)The customer feels committed to his or her decision.
B)The customer likes the salesperson.
C)The customer is excited about his or her purchase.
D)The customer probably wouldn't get that much better of a deal elsewhere.

Question 59

The term ____ refers to a practice whereby a salesperson initially accepts a customer's offer,but then claims an error and quotes the customer a higher price.

A)horse-trading
B)bait-and-switch
C)lowballing
D)highrolling

Question 60

In general,the more ____ a decision between alternatives,the ____ post-decision dissonance.

A)permanent; greater
B)revocable; greater
C)trivial; greater
D)freer; less

Question 61

According to the authors of your text,researchers have found evidence that dissonance reduction is associated with the ____ in the brain.

A)pre-frontal cortex
B)left frontal cortical area
C)limbic system,particularly the amygdale
D)parietal and temporal lobes

Question 62

Recall that Viswesvaran and Deshpande (1996)studied mid-level business managers in India.Some of these business managers were struggling with the question of whether to make unethical business decisions.Based on laboratory research on the effects of deciding to behave immorally,it is reasonable to predict that those managers who ____ would be most lenient about unethical practices a year later.

A)made unethical decisions
B)made ethical decisions
C)felt forced to make unethical decisions
D)deliberated longer about their situation

Question 63

Research using MRIs suggests that when people experience cognitive dissonance,they

A)rely heavily on reason and logic.
B)repress the memory of such events.
C)do not rely on reason much at all.
D)experience anger and fear.

Question 64

Research in which participants' brains were scanned with MRIs while doing a dissonance-producing task showed that when people encounter dissonance,the ____ areas of the brain decrease in activity,and when dissonance is resolved,the ____ areas of the brain "light up."

A)emotion; reasoning
B)reasoning; memory
C)memory; emotion
D)reasoning; emotion

Question 65

The authors of your text present a study by Egan and his colleagues in which monkeys were given a choice between different colors of M&Ms- later,their preference for different colors of M&Ms was re-assessed. The researchers found that the monkeys

A)later preferred the choice they had originally disliked.
B)reduced their liking for the colors of M&Ms they hadn't chosen.
C)reduced their liking for the colors of M&Ms they had chosen.
D)only experienced dissonance when they had observed it in other monkeys.

Question 66

Judson Mills (1958)had elementary school children compete for attractive prizes.The children could cheat to win the prizes,but they didn't know that the experimenter would be assured of detecting the cheaters.Some children cheated,and others did not.The next day,

A)none of the students endorsed cheating as acceptable.
B)those who had cheated earlier became more lenient in their attitudes about cheating.
C)those who didn't cheat earlier became more lenient in their attitudes about cheating.
D)when they were offered a large inducement to cheat,most students cheated.

Question 67

Lisa and Marcie have a really tough exam in anthropology.Both women are considering cheating on the exam.Based on what you read about cognitive dissonance,Lisa,who ____,is likely to later report that all cheaters should be punished severely,and Marcie,who ____,is likely to report that cheating really is no big deal because there are no victims.

A)cheated; did not cheat
B)cheated; cheated
C)did not cheat; cheated
D)did not cheat; did not cheat

Question 68

Researchers have found evidence of cognitive dissonance in the form of post-decision dissonance in which of the following animals?

A)dolphins
B)Bonobo chimpanzees
C)monkeys
D)domestic housecats

Question 69

____ refers to the tendency of people to increase their liking for something they have worked hard to attain.

A)Post-decision dissonance
B)Insufficient justification
C)Justification of effort
D)Minimal justification

Question 70

Based on information from the authors of your text about cognitive dissonance and immoral behavior,which of the following people would be most likely to condone having an extramarital affair?

A)Sarah,who is not married
B)Jessie,who cheated on her husband long ago,but didn't get caught
C)Laura,who is faithful to her husband
D)any of these

Question 71

Based on MRI research on people who were experiencing and later resolved cognitive dissonance,what would you expect to happen to Mary,who just reduced her dissonant feelings about visiting the tanning salon by telling herself that she isn't genetically predisposed to skin cancer,so it won't affect her?

A)She will next experience nervousness.
B)She will experience pleasant feelings.
C)She will be able think critically about other things.
D)S She will be unable to encode new memories for up to ten minutes.

Question 72

Your text describes several situations in which a person may decide to behave immorally,a behavior which is likely to arouse a fair amount of cognitive dissonance.How are people most likely to reduce this dissonance stemming from an immoral act such as lying or cheating?

A)change the behavior and act morally
B)add cognitions
C)change their attitude about the immoral behavior
D)bolster their decision through downward social comparison

Question 73

The authors of your text present a study by Egan and his colleagues in which monkeys were given a choice between different colors of M&Ms-later,their preference for different colors of M&Ms was re-assessed.The researchers found that

A)the monkeys couldn't remember what they picked.
B)the monkeys selected colors only at random.
C)the monkeys showed post-decision dissonance.
D)the monkeys couldn't see the colors.

Question 74

According to results of dissonance studies,who is more likely to believe that lying is truly a heinous,unconscionable,and unforgivable act?

A)Mark,who was tempted to lie,but told the truth instead
B)Dan,who has always told the truth
C)Bill,who lies quite often
D)Julius,who knew he should tell the truth,but lied instead

Question 75

The fact that there is research demonstrating that other animals experience dissonance-and that it has a biological basis-suggests that cognitive dissonance may have (in part)a(n) ____ explanation.

A)cultural
B)personality
C)ethnographic
D)evolutionary

Question 76

You have worked extremely hard to attain a goal,but soon realize that the goal is not as exciting as you expected.You will probably

A)exaggerate the positive qualities of the goal in order to justify your effort.
B)exaggerate the negative qualities of the goal in order to obtain sympathy.
C)carefully analyze the reasons why you worked so hard to attain the goal.
D)deny that you ever believed that the goal was exciting.

Question 77

A recent MRI study revealed that when participants successfully reduced and resolved their cognitive dissonance,they experienced

A)a surge of activity in the reasoning areas of the brain.
B)a reduced capacity in the motor areas of the brain.
C)pleasurable emotions.
D)an increase in activation of the rear hemisphere.

Question 78

According to the authors of your text,why would people experience cognitive dissonance after investing a lot of time and effort in pursuit of a goal that falls short of their expectations?

A)Punishment serves to reduce intrinsic motivation.
B)Heightened intrinsic motivation biases people's perceptions.
C)Actually,people would not experience cognitive dissonance in this situation.
D)Sensible people don't work hard to attain something trivial.

Question 79

Elliot Aronson and Judson Mills (1959)performed an experiment in which college women were invited to join a discussion group about sex.In order to join the group,participants had to undergo either a severe initiation,a mild initiation,or no initiation.Which of the following best describes this study's findings? Women who underwent ____ initiation enjoyed the discussion the ____.

A)a mild; most
B)a severe; most
C)a severe; least
D)no; most

Question 80

According to the authors of your text,when people are tempted to behave immorally and they choose to be either moral or immoral in that situation,how do they justify their actions?

A)They actually change their attitudes to concur with their actions.
B)They merely rationalize their actions,and retain their attitudes.
C)They add cognitions to reduce the dissonance.
D)They become less satisfied with their behaviors.