Describe Festinger's study on cognitive dissonance.

Festinger's study on cognitive dissonance is primarily exemplified by the scenario in which participants were asked to complete a dull task and then were compensated differently for their participation. In this study, some participants received only $1, while others were given $20 for the same task. Those who received just $1 reported finding the task more enjoyable than those who received $20. This outcome illustrates the concept of cognitive dissonance, which occurs when individuals experience conflicting thoughts or beliefs related to their actions and the justifications they create to resolve that conflict.

Specifically, participants who were paid $1 had insufficient external justification for their participation, leading them to internally justify their enjoyment of the task to align their feelings with their actions. The higher payment of $20 provided enough justification for those participants to view the task negatively, as they could attribute their participation to the money rather than personal enjoyment. Thus, the cognitive dissonance experienced by the $1 group drove them to adjust their attitudes about the task, making them perceive it as more enjoyable than it really was.

This study is fundamental to understanding cognitive dissonance because it illustrates how individuals might change their beliefs to reconcile their behaviors when faced with insufficient external justification, shedding light on the complexities of