Question

George is trying to decide which of two used cars to buy. He test drives each, listening to the radio while he does so. While he is test driving the Honda, his favorite song comes on the radio. George tells his friend, "I know the Toyota is a bit better of a deal, but somehow the Honda just feels better to me." If the reason that the Honda feels better is that George liked the song that he heard while driving it, his decision is being influenced by __________.

Answer 1

Misattribution of arousal.

Misattribution of emotion--or arousal--is a psychological term which describes the process whereby people make a mistake in assuming what is causing them to feel aroused.

In this example, George knows the Toyota is the overall better choice, but decides to go with the Honda due to his favorite song coming on during his test drive. We could go into the logistics of why--such as why we feel good when we listen to certain music--but he was ultimately influenced due to misattribution of arousal.