Question

Which of the following correctly outlines the findings of the festinger and carlsmith (1957) study?

a) individuals who were not asked to lie rated the enjoyment of the experiment the same as those who were paid $20 to lie.
b) individuals who were not asked to lie rated the enjoyment of the experiment the same as those who were paid $1 to lie.
c) the discrepancy between telling the next participants that the experiment is interesting and being paid $1 leads to cognitive dissonance.
d) the discrepancy between telling the next participants that the experiment is interesting and being paid $20 leads to cognitive dissonance.

Answer 1

The Festinger and Carlsmith (1957) study found that cognitive dissonance arose among subjects who were paid only $1 to lie, as the small reward did not align with their behaviors, leading to greater dissonance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The findings of the Festinger and Carlsmith (1957) study, which related to the concept of cognitive dissonance, can be outlined as follows: Option (c), 'the discrepancy between telling the next participants that the experiment is interesting and being paid $1 leads to cognitive dissonance.' This is because the subjects who were paid only $1 to lie about the experiment being interesting experienced a greater discrepancy between their actions and their beliefs, which was not sufficiently justified by the payment, causing them to experience cognitive dissonance. In contrast, those who were paid $20 had an adequate external justification for their actions, thereby reducing the experience of dissonance.