Cognitive dissonance reduction in false attribution situations: attitude change, trivialization, rationalization in act.

Summary The aim is to show that in the situation of false attribution, in which attitude change is absent, dissonance reduction can take place through trivialization. Our results clearly show that, in this situation, the trivialization path can be used instead of the attitude change path. They also show the alternative character of the different dissonance reduction paths (attitude change, rationalization in action, trivialization) in a false attribution situation. The 7 experiments carried out globally confirm the hypotheses put to the test. It emerges that in the false attribution situation the dissonance is put to sleep. As soon as the subject is refocused on his submissive behavior, the dissonance reappears.