Answer to Question #279554 in Psychology for xxx

Question

An anti-smoking campaign showed an X-ray image of people who died of lung cancer (see the picture below). The campaign seemed to have no effect on the rate that teenagers took up smoking. Answer Question (a) to Question (b) regarding this phenomenon. (15 marks)

a) List and elaborate two possible strategies to reduce cognitive dissonance for smokers who see this anti-smoking campaign. (6 marks) b) Suggest a more effective communication strategy for persuading teenagers to avoid smoking based on social judgment theory. (9 marks)

Answer 1

Smokers are encouraged to rationalize their behavior by endorsing increasingly favorable thoughts about smoking, which vary consistently as their smoking condition varies. More research is needed to see if this conceptual dissonance action has an inhibitory influence on future quitting aspirations.

Despite the fact that majority smokers acknowledge that smoking is harmful to their health, many continue to do so. Based to Contextual Dissonance Theory, people suffer an uncomfortable psychological strain known as disharmony when they participate in behavior that contradicts their convictions, which they are driven to lessen. Dissonance reduction, according to Festinger, will take the route of least friction.

When changing one's behavior, such as stopping smoking, is tough, he explains, one's mindset changes rather. Considering the difficulties of quitting smoking, the theory predicts that smokers would adapt their beliefs to excuse their behavior rather than changing their habits.