This article discusses an experiment testing cognitive dissonance theory versus self-perception theory in a forced double submission paradigm.
Extract
[...] The study allows for more reliable results to be presented, by making the parallel between the two theories, each being specific to particular conditions and modalities. The first study by Beauvois and Joule (1982) already presented limitations to Bem's theory under certain conditions, however, dissonance must intervene in the context of a response to two modalities, dissonance being an effect of a disagreement between two conditions, one generative and the other subsequent. Measuring a single behavior does not allow for the real modalities of dissonance to be presented, due to a lack of combined conditions. [...]
[...] double submission 2 modalities: positive description vs. negative description) and individual passing, Girandola conducted a study faithful to that of Festinger and Carlsmith (1959), respecting the type of information brought by Bem. The population was collected on the campus of the university through a non-remunerated call for participation for an experimentation of a ten-minute duration on 'the precision of judgment'. The proposed procedure involves randomly choosing the modality by performing a situation description (each modality having its description). The results present 4 interesting points. [...]
[...] From this study, Girandola's (1996) experiment presented in our article follows, with the general issue: 'Can the effects observed in this experiment be reinterpreted by Bern's self-perception theory (1972) ?». - 3 hypotheses are advanced: the task is judged positive by the observer if the subject completes and presents it positively; the observer has a negative judgment if the subject completes and presents it negatively; in the double submission mode, the judgments of the observers are in agreement with the idea of behavior-attitude consistency. [...]
[...] Thirdly, the observers' predictions are not correct. The differences are too large between the results of the subjects and the observers on the judgment of the task. Fourthly (and finally), the results of the double submission mode with negative presentation strongly contradict the expectations formulated by Bem's theory, because the subject judges the task favorably, while the observer does not. Girandola then explains to us that in the radical conception of cognitive dissonance, the dissonance reduction process only applies to inconsistencies involving a 'generative cognition' triggering element). [...]
[...] Girandola proposed elements of response on the debate cognitive dissonance (Festinger - A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, 1957) and autoperception (Well, 1972), the two theories being 'interchangeable' according to the authors. The results obtained from Beauvois and Joule's (1982 - radical theory of cognitive dissonance of 1991) experiment prove the opposite. The state of cognitive dissonance represents a loss of the subject's psychic balance generated by internal tension. Bem's self-perception ( 1972), on the other hand, considers that individuals have the ability to infer their internal states by observing their own behavior. [...]
