10/23/07 WEEK 9: COGNITIVE CONSISTENCY

Discussion Leader: Joe (penciled in!)

A Review of Hayday Evidence on Dissonance Theory

Aronson, E. (2007). The evolution of cognitive dissonance theory: A personal appraisal. In  A. R. Pratkanis, (Ed.). The science of social influence: Advances and future progress. New York: Taylor & Francis. (Chapter 4).
           
An Early Empirical Illustration

Freedman, J. L. (1965).  Long-term behavioral effects of cognitive dissonance.   Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 1, 145-155.

A Current Controversy

Harmon-Jones, E., Brehm, J. W., Greenberg, J., Simon, L., & Nelson, D. E. (1996).  Evidence that the production of aversive consequences is not necessary to create cognitive dissonance.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 5-16.

A Dispositional Measure of Consistency Motivation

Cialdini, R. B., Trost, M. R., & Newsom, J. T. (1995).  Preference for consistency:  The development of a valid measure and the discovery of surprising behavioral implications.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 318-328.

In reading these papers, consider the following questions and be ready to discuss them in class:

1.  Of the dissonance results described in this week’s readings, which was the most surprising to you?  Why?

2.  Of these same dissonance results, which was the most convincing?  Why?

3.  How might we be able to tell someone’s preference for consistency score without giving them the PFC scale?  That is, which naturally occurring characteristics or behaviors of a person would give away his/her preference for consistency.

Back to main page