Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersWhat is cognitive dissonance?
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All 10 Flashcards — Cognitive dissonance
Sign up free to track progress and get spaced-repetition review schedules.
Question
What is cognitive dissonance?
Answer
The uncomfortable tension felt when beliefs and behaviour conflict, motivating us to reduce it.
Question
How can dissonance be reduced?
Answer
Change the behaviour, change the belief, or add justifying thoughts.
Question
Which route do people usually take?
Answer
Changing the belief to fit the action, because it's easier than undoing the action.
Question
What is the small-reward finding?
Answer
A small reward for acting against a belief causes more attitude change than a big one.
Question
Why does a big reward cause less attitude change?
Answer
It gives an external justification, so there's less dissonance to resolve.
Question
Give an example of dissonance reduction.
Answer
A smoker downplaying the risks instead of quitting.
Question
Which concept does dissonance link to?
Answer
Change — it is a key engine of attitude change.
Question
One strength of the theory?
Answer
Supported by many classic and modern experiments on attitude change.
Question
One limitation of the theory?
Answer
Dissonance is an internal feeling that's hard to measure and varies by person and culture.
Question
Does dissonance always improve behaviour?
Answer
No — people often rationalise (change the belief) rather than change the behaviour.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Cognitive dissonance
Topic 2.3 hub
Sociocultural approach
More from Topic 2.3
All flashcards in this topic
Psychology exam skills
Paper structures & tips
Track your progress with spaced repetition
Sign up free — Aimnova tells you exactly which cards to review and when, so you remember everything before your IB exam.
Start Free