Question

Levon considers himself to be a healthy person. He eats a healthy diet and exercises 4 days a week, yet he is a smoker. His attitude toward smoking before he became a smoker was very negative. Now that he is a smoker, however, his attitude is not so negative. The change in his attitude is best explained by a. attribution. b. persuasion. c. mere exposure. d. cognitive dissonance.

Short answer

The change in Levon's attitude is best explained by cognitive dissonance.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Concept of Attribution

Attribution is the process by which individuals explain the causes of behavior and events. It's about assigning reason to human actions, whether internal (dispositional) or external (situational). This concept doesn't directly involve changes in attitudes.

Understand the Concept of Persuasion

Persuasion involves changing a person's attitudes or behaviors through communication and information. It implies an external source convincing someone to change their viewpoint. Levon's attitude change was internal and not due to persuasion from outside sources.

Understand the Concept of Mere Exposure

Mere exposure refers to developing a preference for something simply by being exposed to it repeatedly. While exposure can lead to familiarity and reduced negativity, it doesn't fully explain Levon's change of attitude towards smoking.

Understand Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance refers to the discomfort one feels when holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often change their attitudes or beliefs. Levon's initial negative attitude towards smoking conflicted with his actions once he became a smoker. To resolve this dissonance, his attitude towards smoking became less negative.

Determine the Best Explanation

Compare each explanation with the scenario. Cognitive dissonance is the concept that aligns most closely with Levon's change in attitude, as it involves altering attitudes to resolve the conflict between beliefs and actions.

Key concepts

Attitude Change

Attitude change is a fascinating aspect of psychology. It refers to the shift in a person's viewpoints or feelings towards a topic or object. Changes in attitude can be influenced by a variety of factors. For Levon, who considered himself health-conscious yet smoked, his attitude towards smoking shifted from negative to less negative. This shift is a prime example of attitude change.
This change can be internally motivated, such as adjusting to resolve conflicting beliefs, or externally motivated, like persuasion or new information.
Understanding what causes this change requires deep insight into cognitive processes. In Levon's case, cognitive dissonance was the driving force behind his attitude change towards smoking as it helped him resolve the internal conflict between his healthy lifestyle and smoking habit.

Attribution Theory

Attribution theory is a method that helps individuals explain why people behave the way they do. It involves understanding whether behaviors are caused by internal factors (traits, habits) or external factors (situational influences).
For instance, you might attribute Levon's smoking habit to internal factors like personal choice, or external factors like social pressure. This theory doesn't directly cause attitude change, but provides insight into how people interpret behaviors.
Attributing personal behavior can sometimes restock the justifications for one's actions, but in Levon's case, attribution wasn't responsible for his attitude towards smoking changing.

Mere Exposure

The mere exposure effect is simple yet powerful — the more we are exposed to something, the more we tend to develop a preference for it. This phenomenon explains why familiarity breeds liking.
Although mere exposure can lead to individuals becoming more comfortable with certain behaviors over time, it doesn't wholly account for significant changes in attitudes like Levon's towards smoking. Repeated exposure might reduce negativity, but deeper psychological processes are typically at play when fundamental attitudes shift.

Persuasion Techniques

Persuasion techniques are methods used to change an individual's attitude or behavior through communication. Often seen in advertising, politics, and social interactions, persuasion can be subtle, involving storytelling, emotional appeal, or logical arguments.
Levon's case didn't involve external persuasion; his attitude shift was an internal process resulting from cognitive dissonance. However, understanding these techniques provides valuable insights into how attitudes can be influenced from the outside, and they highlight the complex interplay between communication and belief systems.