Festinger and Carlsmith Experiment
The Festinger and Carlsmith experiment, conducted in 1959, explored cognitive dissonance, a psychological concept where conflicting beliefs cause discomfort. Participants performed a boring task and were then paid either $1 or $20 to convince others it was enjoyable. Those who received $1 experienced dissonance, as they had insufficient justification for lying, leading them to reshape their beliefs and genuinely rate the task as more enjoyable. In contrast, those who received $20 felt justified in lying due to the larger payment. The study illustrates how we sometimes change our attitudes to match our actions when our beliefs and actions conflict.
Additional Insights
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The Festinger and Carlsmith experiment, conducted in 1959, explored cognitive dissonance—the psychological discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs. Participants completed a boring task and were then paid either $1 or $20 to lie and say it was enjoyable. Those paid $1 experienced greater dissonance because the low reward led them to genuinely change their attitude, believing the task was more enjoyable than they initially thought. In contrast, those paid $20 felt justified in lying due to the higher reward. This experiment highlighted how external incentives can influence personal beliefs and attitudes about experiences.