Although you were opposed to the American war with Iraq, your attitude changed when you were required to present a report on the justification of the war as a newspaper journalist. Which theory best explains the change in your attitude?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks which theory best explains how your attitude shifted when you were required to present a report justifying a war you initially opposed.
Option 1: Self-presentation theory. This theory suggests people manage their behavior to create a desired impression for others, rather than revealing their true attitudes. In this scenario, the change in attitude is tied to an internal conflict between opposition and the need to justify the war in a professional report, not merely to manage impressions. Therefore, self-presentation theory is not the strongest fit here.
Option 2: Self-consistency theory. This perspective emphasizes a person’s drive to maintain internal consistency among beliefs and attitudes. While staying consistent can motivate attitude alignment, it does not as directly account for the abrupt shift that arises specifically from performing a task that requires justifying an action you opposed. The scenario points more to resolving dissonance between competing cognitions than simply preserving consistency.
Option 3: Cognitive dissonance theory. This framework explains that when a person holds two or more contradictory cognitions (e.g., opposing war views vs. the obligation to defend or justify the war in a report), psychological discomfort arises. To reduce this discomfort, a person may change their attitudes to align with their behavior or forthcoming justification. Since you were asked to present a justification for the war, this creates dissonance between your opposition and your task, making attitude change a plausible resolution mechanism. This explanation directly targets the clash between belief and demand in the scenario.
Option 4: Self-perception theory. This view holds that people infer their attitudes from observing their own behavior. While it could account for attitude formation after acting in a role (e.g., delivering a justification), it is less precise about the motivated reappraisal of an already-held stance in response to a requirement to justify something you oppose. The core trigger here is the effort to resolve discomfort from conflicting cognitions, not merely inferring attitude from behavior.
Overall, the most coherent account centers on how introducing a justification task creates internal conflict between one’s initial opposition and the demanded stance, prompting attitude change to reduce dissonance. The remaining theories offer partial or less direct explanations for this specific situation.

Although you were opposed to the American war with Iraq, your attitude changed when you were required to present a report on the justification of the war as a newspaper journalist. Which theory best explains the change in your attitude?

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