Question

The theory of __________ claims that most people act first and then rationalize their behavior second. After they have taken action, they try to find reasons for their behavior that are consistent with whom they think they truly are. This viewpoint differs from that which is most commonly used when trying to explain consumer behavior and identity formation.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: Cognitive dissonance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The theory of cognitive dissonance was proposed by Leon Festinger and it states that the human beings have an innate tendecy to allign their attitudes and their behaviors.

For instance:

If a person strongly believes that infidelity is morally wrong but engages in it from time to time, the person is experiencing a dissonance.

The dissonance creates psychological tension within the person and the individual either changes the behavior (Stop cheating), or they modify the attitudes they have towards the behavior (There are worse things than being a cheater) for the dissonance to dissapear. In conclusion, they rationalize their behavior.

So the theory that claims that most people act first and then rationalize their behavior is called the cognitive dissonance theory.