Multiple choice

According to the theory of cognitive dissonance, attitudes are changed because

  1. emotionally persuasive arguments unfreeze beliefs

  2. logical arguments alter the belief component of an attitude

  3. clashing thoughts cause discomfort

  4. acting contrary to one's beliefs for a large reward causes dissonance

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Cognitive dissonance theory states that when our actions conflict with our beliefs or when we hold contradictory thoughts, we experience psychological discomfort. To reduce this dissonance, we change our attitudes to align with our behavior. Option C correctly identifies this mechanism - clashing thoughts create discomfort that motivates attitude change.