Question

Abraham has decided that he wants to go to the gym five times a week over the summer. However, after two days he decided that his plan won't work for him. He feels dissonant because he can't stick to his plan. Then he says to himself, Whether I go to the gym 5 times a week or 0 times a week isn't important. As long as I modify my diet, I can still achieve my goal. This is an example of which of the methods of reducing dissonance?

a) Change attitude
b) Change behavior
c) Minimize importance
d) Seek social support

Answer 1

Abraham resolves cognitive dissonance by minimizing the importance of his original plan to go to the gym five times a week, aligning with his new belief that diet modification alone can help him achieve his fitness goals.

Step-by-step explanation:

Abraham is experiencing what psychologist Leon Festinger called cognitive dissonance, which is the psychological discomfort that arises from holding two or more inconsistent attitudes, behaviors, or cognitions.

This feeling of being mentally uncomfortable can occur when there's a conflict between our actions and our belief system, challenging our positive self-image. In this scenario, Abraham originally planned to go to the gym five times a week but realized that this plan does not work for him.

He then reassures himself by adopting the belief that as long as he modifies his diet, he can still reach his fitness goals, without necessarily adhering to his initial gym commitment.

To reduce the cognitive dissonance he feels, Abraham uses the method of minimizing the importance of the dissonant cognition by telling himself that the number of times he goes to the gym is not critical for achieving his goal. Thus, the correct answer to the question is (c) Minimize importance.