Discuss the cognitive dissonance theory. How do individuals seek consistency among their attitudes, ...

Answer to #1

Cognitive dissonance refers to any incompatibility an individual might perceive between two or more attitudes or between behavior and attitudes. Festinger argued that any form of inconsistency is uncomfortable and that individuals will attempt to reduce the dissonance and, hence, the discomfort. They will seek a stable state in which there is a minimum of dissonance. Research has generally concluded that people seek consistency among their attitudes and between their attitudes and their behavior. They do this by altering either the attitudes or the behavior or by developing a rationalization for the discrepancy. They can deny that any clear causation between the attitude and the behavior has been established. They can brainwash themselves by continually articulating the benefits of the attitude or the behavior. They can acknowledge the negative consequences of the attitude or behavior, but rationalize it. They can accept the research evidence and begin actively working to better the conditions. Alternately, they can quit the attitude or the behavior because the dissonance is too great.

Answer to #2

Student examples may vary. The following is a sample response. Harry, working for a tobacco company, can ignore the scientific information that tobacco is harmful because he receives high rewards in the form of a high salary. This allows him to reduce the cognitive dissonance between his feelings of discomfort with his company's product and his job satisfaction. The cognitive part of Harry's attitude is the evaluation that tobacco is harmful. The affective part of the attitude is feeling certain discomfort knowing that he works for a company that is harming people. The behavioral component of Harry's attitude is ignoring the information to continue to receive the high salary.

Answer to #3

Since the Renaissance and perfected in modern times, people in western European cultures came to believe that spiritual is something you do in church and secular is something you do elsewhere. Such an understanding artificially splits reality into two fundamentally distinct categories: holy and profane, and sacred and secular. This distinction, when applied broadly to life in general, many now believe, violates reality, which is an integrated whole. These distinctions are giving way for a renewed understanding that all of life is integrated; all of life is sacred. Yes, we have special religious places that we treat with reverence and awe, such as a church sanctuary or cathedral and other religious objects. But sacred and secular of life as a whole should be viewed not as independent and mutually exclusive, but rather as similar and interpenetrated in a fundamental way. God is the God of all of life, not just religious things.
(Students' answers may vary.)

Answer to #4

FALSE
Explanation: Individuals will be more motivated to reduce dissonance when the attitudes or behavior are important or when they believe the dissonance is due to something they can control.

Answer to #5

TRUE
Explanation: No individual can completely avoid dissonance.

Answer to #6

B
Explanation: B) Verbal comprehension is a dimension of intellectual ability which refers to the ability to understand what is read or heard and the relationship of words to each other.

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