3. Cognitive Dissonance Theory

4. Questions: zHow can we have plenty to eat, while around the world millions of people are starving? zHow can you eat food and wear clothes produced by underpaid workers from third world countries?

5. Questions: zHow can you continue to drive a car when it emits pollution into the air and destroys the environment? zFossil fuels are disappearing. What will your children do?

6. Cognitive Dissonance Theory zTzTheorist: Leon Festinger zCzCognitive Dissonance: The distressing mental state that people feel when they find themselves doing things that don’t fit with what they know, or having opinions that do not fit with other opinions they hold

7. zEarly anti smoking adEarly anti smoking ad zSmoking Ads to create dissonanceSmoking Ads to create dissonance zAustrialian Smoking AdAustrialian Smoking Ad

8. Three Hypotheses z#z#1 -- Selective exposure prevents dissonance. z#z#2 -- Post decision dissonance creates a need for reassurance

9. z#z#3 -- Attitude change and dissonance reduction depend on providing only a minimum justification for the change in behavior

13. Theory Revisions zSzSelf-consistency: the rationalizing animal. zPzPersonal responsibility for bad outcomes zSzSelf-affirmation to dissipate dissonance