Psychology of Belief, Part 2: Insufficient Justification

In the previous video, we learned how peer pressure leads to public conformity. Now we shall see how public conformity can be turned into genuine belief, even when the belief is embarrassingly false.

Paper cited:

http://www.fpce.uc.pt/niips/novoplano/ps1/documentos/Festinger&Carlsmith_...

Festinger L., and Carlsmith, J. M., "Cognitive consequences of forced compliance," Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, Vol 58, pp 203 - 210 (1959)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• festinger and carlsmith
• atheism
• psychology
• insufficient
• justification

[sirhorsechoker]

Neither $20 nor $1 would excite me. The $20 may even be an affront. I know your lab coat wearin ass has money. But the $1 would sound more like someone asking for a favor. So you then aren't insulted at his crappy offer, but willing to help since he asked nicely for a favor... I was told this series was interesting... the conclusions drawn are sooo far apart though...

[AntiCitizenX]

@sirhorsechoker

Remember that this was performed in 1959. By today's standards, the difference would be more like $100 and $5.

[davidc1711]

Sorry I don't quite get this. So the people who received $20 are less satisfied than those who received $1? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

[AntiCitizenX]

@davidc1711

People who receive $20 have a rational excuse for lying. People who receive $1 have no apparent excuse for lying, and therefore adjust their beliefs to suit the lie.

[BPMa14n]

Speaking of Justification, I´ve read that the self is very defensive .

It wil rationalize that every decision it has made was the best and therefore blames everyone else for its failures rather thatn its self.

So rationalizing that "Ive spent 1 hour doing pointless tasks" turns into something like "I´ve been exercising my self discipline, my patiance, it is good for me" or something like "I'm helping the world of science and knowledge through a self rightous sacrifice of 1 hour of my time

[PuppetXeno]

loved the music.

Oh, the vid has a point too :)

[philopolymath]

yep that was good example of sheepification....We are all victims to some extent..

[ratholin]

what's sad is I'm a bit OCD I actually might enjoy spending an hour moving around silly pegs and putting spindles in boxes. especially if I got to listen to that whole CD I'd be all "Yay let's play monotony!"

[Ansett76]

Climate change anyone??

[Vottaro]

@BlissfulAwareness Or has it made you aware of something lurking IN your mind?

[morgannicgregor]

Great vid, and love the music!