How Distinguish Cog Diss From Self Perception The
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How Distinguish Cog. Diss. From Self. Perception? The Levinson/Kim Conundrum Hillary and Emily suggest that arousal and selfperception may co-occur during CD. Person is aroused by dissonance, sees self as aroused, and infers attitude conflict from selfperceived arousal. Kent’s response: AIYIYI!!!! self-perceived distress lit search.
Cognitive Dissonance w/o Memory Do Amnesiacs Exhibit Cognitive Dissonance Reduction? The Role of Explicit Memory and Attention in Attitude Change. Lieberman, M. D. , Ochsner, K. N. , Gilbert, D. T. & Schacter, D. L. (2001) Question: Does Dissonance require conscious elaboration to induce attitude change? Subjects: 12 anterograde amnesiacs (can’t recall new info. ) and 12 age-matched non-amnesiacs. Method: Variation of Brehm (1956) free choice design. Use art selections rather than appliances (toaster, can opener). Actual method is pretty complicated. Outcome Measure: Difference in ranking art (prepost) due to choice (select vs. reject) vs. non-choice
Degree of Attitude Change Due to Memory and Choice Condition Lieberman, M. D. , Ochsner, K. N. , Gilbert, D. T. & Schacter, D. L. (2001) NOTE: Results replicated in Study 2 employing cognitive load on neuro-typicals.
Class 21: Self Affirmation
Name Calling, Compliance, and an Alternative Means to Dissonance Steele name-calling study: Reduction Most dissonance studies involve S seeing self behaving contrary to self-image. What if self was assessed by an outside person? Method: Calls housewives in Utah X Mormon, value (why coop’tive Utah? ) Housewives in one of four extp'l conditions 1. Relevant negative name: "you are not cooperative" 2. Relevant positive name: "you are cooperative" 3. Irrelevant negative name: "you are a bad driver" 4. No contact control group. DV: Compliance with food co-op request, to list all foods, 2
Name Calling and Compliance Steele, 1985 What explains this result? Why didn't earlier CD research Never
The Role of the Self in Cognitive Dissonance induced by: 1. Writing essays you don’t believe in. 2. Reading lurid sexual text in front of leering experimenter 3. Lying about interest value of boring task for just $1. 00 4. Breaking a stranger’s camera 5. Eating grasshoppers with minimal incentive 6. Waiting until 4: 30 AM for space ship that never arrives Experientially, what do these situations have in common? Make people feel badly about themselves.
Principles of Self Affirmation Theory 1. People have a basic need to maintain fundamental sense of self as worthy. 2. After self worth has been threatened, people are motivated to restore general self-worthiness, not simply correct the specific threat. 3. Motive to correct a specific self-threat is lessened after restoring general self-worthiness.
Logic of Self Affirmation vs. Dissonance Fred is a smoker. Fred sees self as smart and sane. What will reduce Fred's psychological threat? Change behavior "OK, I'm quitting" Rationalize "I watch diet, so I'll be OK" Boost self-worth "I just published an article on cognitive dissonance!" Threat Resolution Cog. Self. Diss Affirm Y Y N Y
Countering Dissonance by Affirming Values: 1. Preselect subjects: Steele Political/econ & Lui, 1981 values matter a lot or a little 2. Counter-attitudinal essay: Why we should increase tuition Writing essay under low choice “You must write this essay” Produces low or high dissonance? 3. All subjects rate Political/Econ values scale: For high poli-econ subs, reminds them of their central values For low poli-econ subs, this is irrelevant to their
Countering Dissonance by Affirming Values: Steele & Lui, 1981
Dissonance and the Lab Coat Steele & Lui, 1983 Ss pre-identified: science oriented or not science oriented Ss rate record albums: Can choose 5 th or 6 th favorite (choice cond. ), or Are given either 5 th or 6 th favorite (no choice cond. ) While "ratings are reviewed", Ss go to "second study" Second study: wear lab coat / don't wear lab coat Ss return to Study 1, reveal "true attitudes" re. albums DV: Degree of attitude change regarding albums (spreading of No Lab Coat alternatives) Not Sci. Attitude oriented change Sci. oriented Attitude No Attitude change
Dissonance and the Lab Coat Steele & Lui, 1983
Self Affirmation and the Need to Judge Others Lui & Steele, 1986 Judging others is pleasurable. More likely to judge others when we feel less in control. Why? Would affirmation. Helplessness affect tendency. Helplessness to judge others? Why? Only + Affirmation Not Econ/Political Values Oriented High Judging Low Judging
Self Affirmation and the Need to Judge Others Lui & Steele, 1986
Reducing Biased Evaluation by Affirming the Self Cohen, Aronson, & Steele, 2000 Premise: People hold firmly to opinions, esp. those connected to core values. Would rigidity re. opinions relax if self-worth affirmed. Why?
Reducing Biased Evaluation by Affirming the Self Cohen, Aronson, & Steele, 2000 Method: Ss pre-selected on favoring/not favoring capital punishment. Ss also rank personal values "Sources of Validation" scale "Personal Ss told study concerns memory, Complete Memory Exercise": Affirmation Cond: Describe 3 -4 instances where they upheld top source of validation (from S of V) scale Control Cond: List everything they ate last 48 hrs. Ss read & recall capital punish. essay opposed to their views DV: How favorably is anti-attitude essay evaluated?
Reducing Biased Evaluation by Affirming the Self Cohen, Aronson, & Steele, 2000
Self Affirmation Questions 1. If one kind of self-insult (i. e. , dissonant behavior, lack of control) can be redeemed by a very different kind of self-relevant behavior (i. e. , recalling personal values, wearing a lab coat, cooperating with crazy survey) what does this say about the nature of the self? Is the self a unified whole or a conglomeration of parts? 2. How would self affirmation affect tendency to selfblame following a tragedy over which one has objectively little control (like earthquake)? Why?
