When an attitude is inconsistent with an action, which of the conditions is NOT likely to increase dissonance-based attitude change?

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Starting with the prompt, we’re asked which condition is NOT likely to increase dissonance-based attitude change when attitude and action are inconsistent.
Option A: 'Action is perceived as inconsistent' directly aligns with the core idea of cognitive dissonance—the more you perceive a mismatch between attitude and behavior, the greater the dissonance, which tends to drive attitude change. This would increase, not decrease, dissonance-based change.
Option B: 'Action is perceived as freely chosen' is a key driver of dissonance. When you feel you chose the conflicting action of your own free will, the internal justification is weaker, leading to stronger dissonance and a higher likelihood of attitude change to resolve the inconsistency.
Option C: 'No physiological arousal is experienced' is the candidate for NOT increasing dissonance. Classical accounts of dissonance emphasize that arousal (psychological or physiological) accompanies the uncomfortable state of inconsistency and motivates resolution. If there’s no arousal, the motivational pressure to adjust attitudes is reduced, making dissonance-based change less likely.
Option D: 'Arousal is attributed to perceived inconsistency between attitude and action' describes misattribution of arousal, which can intensify the focusing on the source of discomfort and promote attitude adjustment to reduce dissonance. This attribution process typically facilitates attitude change rather than diminishing it.
In summary, the conditions in A, B, and D are aligned with mechanisms that amplify dissonance and prompt attitude change, whereas C describes an absence of arousal, which would lessen the motivational drive to resolve the inconsistency. The reasoning points toward C as the option that would not increase dissonance-based attitude change.

PSYC20009_2025_SM2 Exam: Personality and Social Psychology (PSYC20009_2025_SM2)- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

When an attitude is inconsistent with an action, which of the conditions is NOT likely to increase dissonance-based attitude change?

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