Postdecision changes in the desirability of alternatives.

Abstract

THE importance of the choice situation is reflected in the considerable amount of theory and research on conflict. Conflict theory has generally dealt, however, with the phenomena that lead up to the choice. What happens after the choice has received little attention. The present paper is concerned with some of the consequences of making a choice. Previous consideration of the consequences of choice have been limited to relatively unspecified hypotheses (1, 3) or to qualitative analysis (4). However, a recent theory by Festinger (2) makes possible several explicit predictions. According to this analysis of the choice situation, all cognitive elements (items of information) that favor the chosen alternative are and all cognitive elements that favor the unchosen alternative are dissonant with the choice behavior. Furthermore, other things being equal, the greater the number of elements favoring the unchosen alternative (i.e., the greater the relative attractiveness of the unchosen alternative) the greater the resulting When exists, the person will attempt to eliminate or reduce it. Although space limitations preclude further discussion of the theory, it may be said that several derivations are possible concerning the consequences of making a choice. The present study was designed to test the following: 1. Choosing between two alternatives creates dissonance and a consequent pressure to reduce it. The dissonance is reduced by making the chosen alternative more desirable and the unchosen alternative less desirable after the choice than they were before it. 2. The magnitude of the dissonance and the 1 This paper is based on a thesis offered in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree at the University of Minnesota. The author wishes to thank his advisor, Dr. Leon Festinger, for his invaluable aid in the formulation and execution of the study. He also wishes to thank the Laboratory for Research in Social Relations, which supported the study. 4 The author is now in the Department of Psychology, Yale University. consequent pressure to reduce it are greater the more closely the alternatives approach equal desirability. 3. Exposing a person to new relevant cognitive elements, at least some of which are consonant, facilitates the reduction of dissonance.