The Basics
The Fast Fashion Example
Reducing Dissonance
When Dissonance Happens
100

Who developed Cognitive Dissonance Theory?
A) Albert Bandura
B) Leon Festinger
C) B.F. Skinner
D) Carl Rogers

B) Leon Festinger

100

In the presentation, what brand is used as an example of fast fashion?
A) Zara
B) H&M
C) Shein
D) Forever 21

C) Shein

100

Which of these is a method to reduce dissonance (Woo, 2025)?
A) Deny your beliefs entirely
B) Focus on more supportive beliefs
C) Ignore your feelings
D) Talk to others about it

B) Focus on more supportive beliefs

100

According to Oliver (1997), what must be true for dissonance to occur?
A) The decision must be random
B) The decision must matter
C) The decision must be reversible
D) Someone else must choose for you

B) The decision must matter

200

What is Cognitive Dissonance?
A) Agreement between beliefs and actions
B) A positive feeling after decision-making
C) A misalignment between beliefs, facts, or actions
D) Forgetting conflicting ideas

C) A misalignment between beliefs, facts, or actions

200

What belief causes conflict in the fast fashion example?
A) That cheap clothes are fun
B) Caring about the environment and sustainability
C) Not liking fashion trends
D) Preferring luxury brands

B) Caring about the environment and sustainability

200

How else can dissonance be reduced?
A) Exaggerate the conflict
B) Reduce the importance of the issue
C) Hide your decision
D) Avoid thinking about it ever again

B) Reduce the importance of the issue

200

What’s the second condition for dissonance?
A) It must be a secret
B) The person must feel they made the decision themselves
C) It must involve money
D) It must be a group decision

B) The person must feel they made the decision themselves

300

What emotion do people experience when they hold two conflicting ideas?
A) Happiness
B) Discomfort or tension
C) Confidence
D) Satisfaction

B) Discomfort or tension

300

Why does shopping for cheap costumes cause dissonance?
A) Because the costumes are low-quality
B) Because it saves money
C) Because it conflicts with one’s environmental values
D) Because friends disagree

C) Because it conflicts with one’s environmental values

300

What does “changing the conflicting behavior” mean?
A) Ignoring the issue
B) Taking action that aligns with your beliefs
C) Blaming someone else
D) Adopting new hobbies

B) Taking action that aligns with your beliefs

300

What’s the third condition for dissonance?
A) It must be reversible
B) It must be logical
C) It must be irreversible
D) It must involve guilt

C) It must be irreversible

400

When does Cognitive Dissonance occur most strongly?
A) When two ideas support each other
B) When beliefs and behavior are unrelated
C) When two thoughts or actions directly conflict and both feel true
D) When people recognize a mistake but feel no emotional response

C) When two thoughts or actions directly conflict and both feel true

400

In the fast-fashion scenario, what mental strategy allows someone to buy from Shein despite caring about sustainability?
A) Ignoring fashion trends altogether
B) Rationalizing the purchase to protect self-image
C) Feeling guilty without changing behavior
D) Denying that fast fashion harms the environment

B) Rationalizing the purchase to protect self-image

400

Why do many people choose to justify their behavior rather than change it when facing dissonance?
A) Because justification feels more socially acceptable
B) Because they believe guilt is productive
C) Because rationalization is psychologically easier than altering core habits
D) Because changing behavior always increases dissonance

C) Because rationalization is psychologically easier than altering core habits

400

Why do important, self-chosen, and irreversible decisions often create stronger dissonance?
A) Because people tend to forget about high-stakes decisions
B) Because they feel personally responsible for choices they can’t easily undo
C) Because social pressure reduces personal accountability
D) Because these choices involve little emotional investment

B) Because they feel personally responsible for choices they can’t easily undo

500

Explain how Cognitive Dissonance can motivate long-term behavior change. Give a real-world example of someone reducing dissonance by changing their beliefs or actions.

  • A person quits smoking after realizing their health beliefs conflict with their behavior.

  • A student starts studying harder after feeling guilty about skipping classes.

  • A consumer begins recycling regularly to align actions with pro-environmental values.

  • Over time, people may adopt new beliefs (“health really matters”) to stay consistent with their new actions.

500

Imagine you’re the person in the fast-fashion example. Describe two realistic ways you could reduce your dissonance.

  • Ethical option: Decide to thrift or borrow costumes instead of buying new fast-fashion ones.

  • Less ethical option: Rationalize the purchase by saying “It’s just one outfit; it won’t hurt the planet.”

  • Other possible answers: Donate the clothing afterward; promise to shop sustainably next time; unfollow fast-fashion ads to reduce temptation.

  • Best long-term solution: Changing the behavior (buying sustainably) because it fully resolves the conflict.

500

Describe a time when someone might use each of Woo’s three strategies (focusing on supportive beliefs, minimizing conflict, and changing behavior) to reduce dissonance.

  • Focusing on supportive beliefs: “I donate often, so buying one unnecessary item is fine.”

  • Minimizing conflict: “This issue isn’t that serious; everyone does it.”

  • Changing behavior: Stop the behavior entirely—e.g., start exercising or quit overspending.

  • Most effective: Changing behavior, because it directly restores consistency and eliminates guilt.

500

Give one real-life example of a decision that causes Cognitive Dissonance because it feels important or hard to undo. Explain why it creates that feeling.


  • Choosing a college and later wondering if it was the right one — it’s a big, hard-to-change decision.

  • Buying an expensive car and regretting the cost — the purchase feels final.

  • Ending a relationship — it’s emotionally important and not easily reversible.

  • Accepting a job offer that doesn’t fit your values — you feel stuck after committing.

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