Psychology Homework Help

Please review the following terms before turning to the questions below.

Methods to reduce dissonance

Self concept and cognitive dissonance

Instructions: The answers to the questions below are not in the article above. Instead I’d like you to use your knowledge about this case and your knowledge of cognitive dissonance to make reasonable arguments about how the actors in the case may feel and what they may think. 

1.     What combination of attitudes and/or behaviors are in potential conflict among LaDue’s parents? That is, what is the source of the cognitive dissonance that they may feel? How does the source of conflict relate to their self-concept?

2.     What combination of attitudes and/or behaviors may be in potential conflict among friends, teachers, and administrators once they learned of LaDue’s plan? That is, what is the source of the cognitive dissonance they might feel? 

3.     What predictions would cognitive dissonance theory make for resolving tensions/conflict around the parents’ attitudes toward their son following his arrest (e.g., what methods or tactics could be used to reduce dissonance)? 

4.     What prediction would cognitive dissonance theory make for resolving tensions/conflict around the school administrators attitude? How would you predict that people at the school would reduce the dissonance (e.g., what methods or tactics could be used to reduce dissonance)? Be specific.

5.     Are there any alternative explanations (social psychological theories) that could account for the tension or emotions felt by those around John LaDue?  

6.     That is, is there an alternative to cognitive dissonance theory that could you help understand the present case?