Procedure
Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIpacdGcyJc
In 1959, Leon Festinger and Merrill Carlsmith looked to test Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance theory is the theory that we act to reduce discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent (Myers 2007). To study this, Festinger and Carlsmith performed an experiment using seventy-one male students at Stanford University.
The experiment was listed for the students as a two hour experiment involving “Measures of Performance.” During the first week of this course, the participants were then told the university was performing another study to evaluate the experiments in order to improve future studies.
For the experiment, participants were asked to perform extremely dull tasks, including turning pegs on a board for an hour with only one hand. To make the experiment convincing, the experimenter busily took notes while the participants were performing the tasks.
The experiment was listed for the students as a two hour experiment involving “Measures of Performance.” During the first week of this course, the participants were then told the university was performing another study to evaluate the experiments in order to improve future studies.
For the experiment, participants were asked to perform extremely dull tasks, including turning pegs on a board for an hour with only one hand. To make the experiment convincing, the experimenter busily took notes while the participants were performing the tasks.
Retrieved from: http://www.psychologyofgames.com/
2013/08/its-not-so-bad-cognitive-dissonance-and-cheap-games/
2013/08/its-not-so-bad-cognitive-dissonance-and-cheap-games/
After completing the tasks, each participant was told individually that there were two groups. In actuality, there was only one group. They were told that the group they were in did not receive any introduction to the experiment prior to it and only knew what they need to know to complete the tasks. They were then told that the “other group,” also called Group B, received an introduction to the experiment from a student confederate that pretended to have just completed the same tasks. The individual participant was told that this student was instructed to tell the participants in Group B that the tasks were very interesting and exciting. It was the explained that a student and not the experimenter did this job to make the experiment more convincing.
The experimenter then pretended that the student who usually does this job could not make it that day and asked the participant if he would be okay with doing that job for the next subject (actually another confederate). This is where the participants are split into two groups. Each participant in one group was offered $1 for completing the job and each participant in another group was offered $20 for completing the job. At times, the experimenter had to convince the participant and pretend to be in great need of someone to do this job.
Once the participant agreed to doing the job, he was taken into another room with the “next subject.” After the participant explained that the study is fun, the confederate countered with saying that their friend had participated in the experiment earlier and said it was boring. The participant then had to repeat how interesting the experiment was while the confederate quietly listened and complied.
Next, the participant was led into another room with an introductory psychology student who knew about the experiment Festinger and Carlsmith were performing but did not know about which condition ($1 or $20) the participant was in. The participants were asked four questions about the experiment and to rate his experience on a scale of 1-11. At the end of the interview, the participant was asked what he thought the experiment was about and if he was suspicious of anything.
After the interview, the participant was taken back into the room with the confederate they had to convince and the experimenter. There he was debriefed on the experiment, told what the true purpose was, and was asked to return the money (Festinger & Carlsmith, 1959).
The experimenter then pretended that the student who usually does this job could not make it that day and asked the participant if he would be okay with doing that job for the next subject (actually another confederate). This is where the participants are split into two groups. Each participant in one group was offered $1 for completing the job and each participant in another group was offered $20 for completing the job. At times, the experimenter had to convince the participant and pretend to be in great need of someone to do this job.
Once the participant agreed to doing the job, he was taken into another room with the “next subject.” After the participant explained that the study is fun, the confederate countered with saying that their friend had participated in the experiment earlier and said it was boring. The participant then had to repeat how interesting the experiment was while the confederate quietly listened and complied.
Next, the participant was led into another room with an introductory psychology student who knew about the experiment Festinger and Carlsmith were performing but did not know about which condition ($1 or $20) the participant was in. The participants were asked four questions about the experiment and to rate his experience on a scale of 1-11. At the end of the interview, the participant was asked what he thought the experiment was about and if he was suspicious of anything.
After the interview, the participant was taken back into the room with the confederate they had to convince and the experimenter. There he was debriefed on the experiment, told what the true purpose was, and was asked to return the money (Festinger & Carlsmith, 1959).