Psychology Question Answer

Total Length: 1482 words ( 5 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 8

Page 1 of 5

Psychology

Question 1

What differentiated the control group from the two experimental groups and the two experimental groups from each other?

The aim of the experiment is key to differentiating all the groups involved: groups A, B, and control. Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) were trying to identify the occurrence of cognitive dissonance in the experiment through the motivations of the groups, thereby proving the validity of their theory over the behaviorist and reinforcement approach. The main difference between all the groups is the motivation/level of dissonance experienced. The control group experienced no dissonance, as they were not required to lie about the experimental procedure nor offered monetary compensation; the other groups were, however, motivated to lie via monetary compensation. Groups A and B are further differentiated by their level of “induced dissonance” through the amount of monetary compensation offered to them: group A received $1, which is significantly less than the $20 offered to group B participants. Based on the premise of cognitive dissonance, group B is expected to experience less dissonance due to an increased or justifiable motivation (induced) for their attitude change. Group A, on the other hand, had a higher cognitive dissonance and experienced a greater attitude change to compensate for the inconsistency.

Question 2

What does dissonance do to a person, and what can they do the reduce it?

Cognitive dissonance being a state of confliction between a person’s belief and outward actions or expressions results in varying degrees of discomfort and uneasiness, depending on the degree of conflict within the person (Van Kampen, 2019. p. 7). The discomfort associated with cognitive dissonance is usually in form of anxiety, shame or guilt (Legg, 2019). Since a person can only tolerate an inconvenient cognitive state for a period, the conflicted person attempts to reduce their dissonance by equally reducing the conflict within them. This motivation to escape from the mental cage of cognitive dissonance is termed “the principle of cognitive consistency” (Van Kampen, 2019. pp. 1-2). Dissonance reduction is usually achieved through a change in behavior or attitude, especially towards the existing belief system, a change in the existing belief system, or a justification of current behavior/attitude in line with the existing belief system (Izuma & Murayama, 2019).
As prescribed by the principle of cognitive consistency, the human mind continuously tries to harmonize itself by blocking-out or denying conflicting thoughts/data that contradicts an already adopted/existing belief system (Northrup, 2018).

Question 3

A. Why did the $20 group change their opinion less than the $1 group?

The $20 group changed their opinion less than the $1 group because the theory of cognitive dissonance is valid. According to Festinger and Carlsmith (1959), the theory of cognitive dissonance suggests when a reward system is attached to a change in opinion or attitude, a higher reward results in less change in attitude than lesser rewards. This is due to the internalization of interest (or attitude-discrepant behavior) in the individuals offered the lower reward as a compensation for the non-justification of their expected change in attitude in favor of the associated low reward. In the case of a high reward, however, the reward can be considered enough compensation for the change in attitude. This serves as a good substitute for reducing the expected level of dissonance that would have been recorded otherwise.

B. Supposed the $20 group did change their opinions more than the $1 group, which theory would that have supported?

Assuming the $20 group had a greater change in opinion than the $1 group, their actions would have supported the Reinforcement/Incentive theory. This theory explains that the behavior of an operant (or test subject) is dependent on the consequence of such behavior, and certain consequences increase the tendency for its repetition. Consequences that increase the tendency for repeating a behavior are tagged “reinforcers,” and the process of encouraging behavior through such reinforcers is called reinforcement (Silverman, Jarvis, Jessel, & Lopez, 2016. p.98). In this case, monetary compensation would serve as a reinforcer. Thus, if its increase (from $1 to $20) leads to a corresponding increase in the intended behavior, reinforcement theory would have been justified. The failure of this….....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


Related Essays

Psychology Phenomenology Descriptive Qualitative Methods

Assignment 1 Phenomenological psychology focuses on the subjective experiences of individuals. The “founder” of phenomenology, Edmund Husserl presented a cohesive methodology and philosophical framework that laid the foundation for phenomenological psychology. One of the greatest challenges of phenomenological psychology is differentiating between the unique subjective experiences and perceptions of individuals and the need to discern an objective, shared reality. Phenomenological psychology is almost easier to define by what it is not: it is not about using the scientific method to study human behavior, and it is not about studying personality or psychoses. Rather,… Continue Reading...

Psychology Statistics T Test and Multiple Regressions

1. If I were designing my research study in the field of psychology, I would most likely use a t-test as the method of data analysis. A t-test is best used when the researcher wants to determine deviations from a normal distribution curve. If there are one or more normal distributions (bell curves), t he researcher can compare the two groups using the t-test method. The variances do not need to be known to perform a t-test either, which is another reason why I would select this method of data analysis in my particular research question. Furthermore, the researcher can use the… Continue Reading...

Psychology and Behaviorism Essay Outline

I. Introduction Although behaviorism is now considered part of psychology, it was not always. Early behaviorists tried hard to set themselves apart from the psychology of their day, which many believed focused too much on the subconscious mind. Behaviorism was the first attempt to study human behavior using the scientific method. However, there were many different approaches to behaviorism. II. The Early Foundations of Behaviorism A. The structuralism versus functionalism debate 1. Structuralism: Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Tichener tried to show that they could use introspection as a scientific method with the goal of objectively understanding the structures of… Continue Reading...

Psychology of Motivation and Oxytocin

E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 49(3), 182-185. How might attribution theory provide an understanding of a person's behavior? How can a teacher, parent, coach, or other person in a leadership position use this theory to motivate an unmotivated individual? Attribution theory shows how individuals attribute their own behaviors to internal or external causes. For example, some people blame other people when they fail, whereas others blame themselves. A person who claims, “I’m just not good at math” internally attributes their performance on a math test to something they think is immutable. That person… Continue Reading...

Psychology, Financial Decision-Making, and Management of Household

The main purpose of this research study is to understand the psychology of decision-making and management of households with respect to Arab students living abroad. The study will take into consideration the impact of the difference in culture and also the influence of such culture in dealing with bank interest. The research model used in this study is the addition of a moderating variable. The data will be collected through questionnaires that will be designed, piloted, and distributed to the target population. Questionnaires will be designed in a way that can manage to gather accurate information on the aspects of psychology,… Continue Reading...

Psychology, Financial Decision-Making, and Household Management

Psychology, Financial Decision-Making, and Household Management Reason for Selecting Subject The reason I chose this subject is that in the recent times, the aspect of financial education and understanding has become a contentious and significant one. Its importance has been realized largely because there is increasing intricacy of financial products and also the increasing accountability and liability of people with respect to their own financial well-being. It is imperative to note that knowledgeable, financially educated customers are more capable of making proper decisions for their households and as a result… Continue Reading...

Psychology and Sociology Gender Inequality

according to societal expectations. I believe that human psychology is actually quite straightforward. Basic behaviorism shows how rewards and punishments guide human behavior. When a person, and especially a child, is rewarded with attention, admiration, and other shows of respect, they will repeat that behavior. On the other hand, any behavior that elicits a negative or undesirable response will be diminished. It takes a strong character to subvert gender norms. Thankfully, the society is starting to change whereby gender non-conformity is becoming more normative. We still have a long way to go before becoming a gender-neutral society, though.… Continue Reading...

Dynamic Network Theory Article on Psychology

Westaby, J.D., Pfaff, D.L. & Redding, N. (2014). Psychology and social networks. American Psychologist 69(3): 269-284. Westaby, Pfaff & Redding (2014) attempt to fill a gap in the literature on social networks by focusing on how social networks influence goal striving via emotional pathways. The authors base their research on dynamic network theory, and the results can be applied to numerous practical or clinical settings including organizational-industrial behavior or even information science. The dynamic network theory orientation also sheds light on numerous types of social networks and organizations, illuminating both individual and collective behavior. Although not an experimental… Continue Reading...

Behaviorism Psychoanalysis and HTE Psychology

Introduction Psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic, transpersonal, and existential (HTE) psychology are the three primary movements in the study of the human experience. Each of these movements uses different research methodologies and epistemologies, and each focuses on different aspects of the human experience. Moreover, each of these movements presents unique therapeutic interventions and goals in the field of psychology. With each having contributed tremendously to the social sciences, psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic psychology can also be integrated for a richer understanding of human consciousness and the human condition. Historical context of the science and practice of psychology helps illuminate the… Continue Reading...

Theories of Humanistic Psychology History

Humanistic Psychology Humanistic psychology has made a tremendous impact on the overall field of psychology and the social sciences in general. Since Rogers first introduced the concepts of unconditional positive regard, the ideals of professional competence in psychotherapy have changed towards client-centered perspectives and practices (McArthur & Cooper, 2017). However, humanistic psychology often eschews quantitative research methods, diverges considerably from the views in cognitive psychology, psychoanalysis and behaviorism, and has been occasionally perceived or portrayed of as too soft to be relevant to the social sciences (Wong, 2017). More recently, humanistic… Continue Reading...

Community Psychology Diversity and Social Action Research

An Ecological Approach Community psychology uses an ecological or systems approach, recognizing that individuals are inseparable from their social networks and communities. According to Dalton, Elias & Wandersman (2012), community psychology also works with seven core values. Those values include individual and family wellness, a sense of community, respect for human diversity, social justice, empowerment and citizen participation, collaboration and community struggle, and empirical grounding. Thus, community psychology can be viewed as an interface between traditional individualistic psychology, sociology, and social work. Community psychology has been called a “common sense” approach given its broad… Continue Reading...

Social Psychology

Social psychology is the study of human behavior in social situations, showing how social pressures and sociological variables can impact psychological phenomenon such as identity, motivation, personality, or behavior. A quintessential topic in the field of social psychology is bullying. Bullying can be studied from a public health perspective, showing how the external variables such as how a school is designed and the leadership and organizational culture of the school affects risk factors implicated in bullying behaviors or victimization patterns. Alternatively, bullying can be examined from a purely psychological perspective to… Continue Reading...

Spirituality and Humanistic Psychology Individual

Question 1 The individual’s experience and the personal construction of meaning are central to humanistic psychology. Theorists like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow initially promoted this humanistic view of psychology, which was contrary to the prevailing tenets of behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Instead of focusing on past experiences and environmental variables, Rogers and Maslow focused on the person’s perceptions and intrinsic motivations (“What is Humanistic Psychology?” n.d.). Moreover, early theorists also negated the importance of experimental studies and other applications of the scientific method to psychological inquiry because these methods have a way of dehumanizing and devaluing personal experience (McLeod, 2015). Theorists like Rogers and Maslow… Continue Reading...

Culture Studies and Psychology

across cultures. The aim of Grossmann et al. (2014) was to assess the power of the situation on social psychology from a cultural perspective. This aim is important because, as Heine and Norenzayan (2006) point out, “cultural psychological research is as important in documenting robust similarities across cultures as it is in documenting variability” (p. 254). It is especially important because it enables psychologists in the field “to identify the extent to which psychological phenomena are culture-specific or are psychological universals” (Heine & Norenzayan, 2006, p. 254). This paper will critique the study by Grossman et al. (2014) and assess it by applying one lesson from Ross (2004) regarding… Continue Reading...

Organizational Psychology

Article Review Area: Organizational Psychology Source Jam, F. F., Sheikh, A. R., Iqbal, H., Zaidi, B. H., Anis, Y., & Muzaffar, M. (2011). Combined effects of perception of politics and political skill on employee job outcomes. African Journal of Business Management, 5(23), 9896-9904. Retrieved from http://academicjournals.org/article/article1380363658_Jam%20et%20al.pdf Introduction This review will critically assess the aforementioned paper with regard to subject introduction, intellectual plot, methodology, discussion and outcomes. Further, the article will be summarized followed by an analysis of its structure. This paper attempted to examine the link of POP (perception of politics) with job outcomes,… Continue Reading...

Reflection on Positive Psychology Trends

.....refreshing trend in the field of psychology, positive psychology refers to a set of theoretical frameworks and practices that focus on how individuals can maximize happiness and wellbeing. Unlike traditional schools of thought in the field of psychology, positive psychology does not focus on pathology. Mental illness is not covered within the provisions of positive psychology. However much positive psychology echoes some of the tenets and tone of pop psychology trends, positive psychology has gained traction in academic circles and has received widespread support among researchers and members of the American Psychological Association including former president… Continue Reading...

Applied Social Psychology

Social Psychology The term 'applied social psychology' is used to denote a methodical utilization of socio-psychological models, study approaches and outcomes, concepts, ideologies, and intervention approaches for comprehending or ameliorating social issues. Psychologists belonging to this subfield concentrate on comprehending and solving practical issues and coming up with intervention approaches to enhance individual, organizational and societal response to social issues. While this domain's chief concern is the generic tackling of practical and social issues revolving around the environment, education, and so forth, social psychology may also help enrich people's lives (Schneider,… Continue Reading...

Investigative Psychology

Psychology Analysis of the crime scene After Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced, he was taken to the Correctional Institution of Columbia, located in Portage; a town in Wisconsin. During his first incarceration year, Dahmer was confined separately in order to keep him physically safe in case he interacted with other prisoners. With his consent, when the first solitary confinement year was over, Dahmer was taken to a unit that was less secure. Here, he was made to work for two hours each day; he used to clean the ablution block. Apparently,… Continue Reading...

Social Psychology

to discuss criminal justice ethics, but to comment more about the social psychology of false confessions, from multiple angles and points of view. To conduct the research, I will begin with the articles suggested at the end of the scenario. These two articles provide ample empirical support for the social psychological phenomena at stake in the scenario. The Gudjonssen & Pearse (2011) article talks about interrogation techniques commonly used by law enforcement in the United States, including the Reid technique, as well as techniques more common in the United Kingdom, which has a similar criminal justice system in general. The UK uses… Continue Reading...

History of Psychology Annotated Bibliography

However, it is often taken for granted how classical conditioning was introduced to the field of psychology. This article starts with a brief section about the precursors of Pavlov’s famous dog salivation response experiments. The precursor to Pavlov was Twitmyer’s knee-jerk reflexes. Like Green (2009), Clark (2004) talks a little of William James and his contributions to the early evolution of psychology. Then, Clark (2004) delves into the meat of the matter: Pavlov’s experiments. Using dogs as subjects, the Russian scientist revolutionized the study of human behavior with his studies showing how classical conditioning works. Clark (2004) traces Pavlov’s work, and also shows how it was… Continue Reading...

sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Psychology" (2020, April 19) Retrieved May 16, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/psychology-2175101

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Psychology" 19 April 2020. Web.16 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/psychology-2175101>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Psychology", 19 April 2020, Accessed.16 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/psychology-2175101