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Week 5: The Need to Justify Our Actions - Coggle Diagram
Week 5: The Need to Justify Our Actions
Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Festinger, 1957)
Definition: A feeling of discomfort when we hold two conflicting cognitions or when behavior conflicts with our beliefs.
Motivation: We are motivated to reduce this discomfort.
Ways to Reduce Cognitive Dissonance
Change behavior (e.g., stop smoking).
Change cognition (e.g., believe smoking isn’t that harmful).
Add new cognition (e.g., smoking helps me relax).
Self-Justification
When we can't change behavior, we often justify it instead
Happens especially when our self-concept is threatened
Post-Decision Dissonance
After making a decision, we feel dissonance about whether we made the right choice.
We reduce it by enhancing the chosen option and devaluing the rejected one.
More permanent decision = more dissonance (e.g., buying a non-refundable item).
Lowballing Technique
A form of sales technique where a low offer is made to get commitment, then hidden costs are revealed.
Buyer agrees because
Commitment is already made.
Anticipation of ownership.
Slight price difference doesn’t feel significant after commitment.
Justification of Effort
If we work hard for something, we tend to value it more—even if it turns out disappointing.
External vs Internal Justification
External justification: Explaining behavior due to outside factors (e.g., reward or punishment).
Internal justification: Changing attitude to match behavior when no external reason exists.
Counterattitudinal Advocacy
When we state an opinion we don’t believe, we may start to believe it to reduce dissonance.
Works best when there's minimal external incentive
Insufficient Punishment
When the punishment isn’t strong enough to justify not doing something, we reduce dissonance by internalizing the reason for not doing it.
Leads to self-persuasion and long-term attitude change
Hypocrisy Paradigm
Making people aware of the inconsistency between their behaviors and beliefs leads them to change behavior.
xample: Advocating safe sex then being reminded of own risky behavior.
Justifying Good and Bad Deeds
We justify cruel actions by dehumanizing victims.
We justify kind actions by increasing empathy toward the person.
Cultural Differences
Dissonance is experienced differently across cultures:
Western cultures: Individual-focused dissonance.
Eastern cultures: Group-focused dissonance (decisions affecting others).