Mariah Has Had a Hard Semester, and Her Grades Have

Multiple Choice

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."