At a summer workshop, students spent an hour sorting beads, a very dull task. Half of them were paid Rs. 20 and the other half Rs. 500 to tell the next batch that the task was exciting. A month later, the Rs. 20 group rated the task as more interesting than the Rs. 500 group did. The workshop leader, Dr. Rao, then had the same speaker give the same message to one participant, Harish, on two topics. His mild liking for a new tea brand changed at once. His strong belief in his family traditions, which is central to his life, did not change at all.
Why did the Rs. 500 group continue to rate the task as very boring?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → They felt no dissonance, as the large payment was a good reason for the lie
Option (1) Their negative view of the task was extreme and central, so it could not change — Incorrect. Extreme and central attitudes are harder to change, but a view of a one-hour task is neither. The cause here is the payment.
Option (2) They felt dissonance and reduced it by changing their view of the task — Incorrect. This describes the Rs. 20 group. Changing their view of the task is why they rated it as interesting.
Option (3) They identified with the workshop leader and copied her view of the task — Incorrect. Identification is part of Mohsin's two-step concept. The leader showed no changed behaviour for anyone to copy.
Option (4) They felt no dissonance, as the large payment was a good reason for the lie — Correct. "I lied because I was paid Rs. 500" fits with "the task was boring". With no dissonance, there was no need to change the attitude, so they still called it boring.
NCERT (2026-27): “The $ 20 group did not experience cognitive dissonance. So, they did not change their attitude towards the experiment, and rated it as very boring. The cognitions in the $ 20 (No dissonance) group would be :” ““I told the waiting students that it was interesting”; “I told a lie because I was paid $ 20.”” |