Asked by Sherkan Malik on Sep 23, 2024

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You have decided to buy a new car and narrow your choice down to two equally attractive alternatives.You finally decide on one,but when you get home you start to worry about whether you made the best decision.According to Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory,what will you most likely do?

A) Go back to the car dealership, and get the other car instead.
B) Try to distract yourself from the conflicting thoughts.
C) Ask a trusted friend for her opinion.
D) Decide that the car you chose was clearly the better of the two.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

A psychological theory suggesting that individuals experience discomfort when holding contradictory beliefs and are motivated to reduce this dissonance by changing their attitudes or behaviors.

Postdecisional Dissonance

Psychological discomfort experienced after making a difficult decision, often leading to regret or questioning of the choice.

Festinger

A psychologist known for developing the theory of cognitive dissonance and contributing significantly to the field of social psychology.

  • Understand the critical role of cognitive alignment in the study of human psychology, as demonstrated by theories including cognitive dissonance.
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RG
Rajrupa Gupta7 days ago
Final Answer :
D
Explanation :
According to Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory, when faced with conflicting thoughts or beliefs (in this case, the worry about whether the best decision was made), individuals are likely to adjust their attitudes or beliefs to reduce the dissonance. In this scenario, convincing oneself that the chosen car was clearly the better option is a way to reduce the dissonance between the decision made and the lingering doubts.