How Distinguish Cog. Diss. From Self-Perception? The Levinson/Kim Conundrum

1. How Distinguish Cog. Diss. From Self-Perception? The Levinson/Kim Conundrum Hillary and Emily suggest that arousal and self-perception may co-occur during CD. Person is aroused by dissonance, sees self as aroused, and infers attitude conflict from self-perceived arousal. Kent’s response: AIYIYI!!!!  self-perceived distress lit search.

2. 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 (pre-post) due to choice (select vs. reject) vs. non-choice (no pre-post selections).

3. 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.

4. Class 21: Self Affirmation

5. Name Calling, Compliance, and an Alternative Means to Dissonance Reduction Steele name-calling study: 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 (why 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 days later. According to Dissonance, which group should comply? Mormon, value coop’tive X

6. Name Calling and Compliance Steele, 1985 What explains this result? Why didn't earlier CD research show similar result? Never checked!

7. The Role of the Self in Cognitive Dissonance 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.

8. 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.

9. Logic of Self Affirmation vs. Dissonance Fred is a smoker. Fred sees self as smart and sane. What will reduce Fred's psychological threat? Threat Resolution Cog. Diss Self-Affirm Y Y Change behavior "OK, I'm quitting" Y Y Rationalize "I watch diet, so I'll be OK" Boost self-worth "I just published an article on cognitive dissonance!" N Y

10. Countering Dissonance by Affirming Values: Steele & Lui, 1981 1. Preselect subjects: Political/econ 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 central values 4. All subjects then report how much they believe in tuition increase. DV: How much do subjects endorse counter-attitudinal essay.

11. Countering Dissonance by Affirming Values: Steele & Lui, 1981

12. Dissonance and the Lab CoatSteele & Lui, 1983 Ss pre-identified: science oriented or not science oriented Ss rate record albums: Can choose 5th or 6th favorite (choice cond.), or Are given either 5th or 6th 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 alternatives) No Lab Coat Lab Coat Not Sci. oriented Attitude change Attitude change Sci. oriented Attitude change No Attitude change

13. Dissonance and the Lab Coat Steele & Lui, 1983

14. 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 affect tendency to judge others? Why? Helplessness Only Helplessness + Affirmation Not Econ/Political Values Oriented High Judging High Judging Econ/Political Values Oriented Low Judging High Judging

15. Self Affirmation and the Need to Judge Others Lui & Steele, 1986

16. 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?

17. 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 Ss told study concerns memory, Complete "Personal 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?

18. Reducing Biased Evaluation by Affirming the Self Cohen, Aronson, & Steele, 2000

19. 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 self-blame following a tragedy over which one has objectively little control (like earthquake)? Why?