Neural activity predicts attitude change in cognitive dissonance

Veen, Vincent van; Krug, Marie K.; Schooler, Jonathan W.; Carter, Cameron S.

doi:10.1038/nn.2413

Cited by 215 publications

(177 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Interestingly, the DLPFC, especially on the left side, has been reported to be involved in cognitive dissonance, especially its reduction, in previous EEG studies (21,22). The idea that the DLPFC is involved in conflict resolution rather than conflict monitoring seems to be consistent with the fact that we found stronger DLPFC activations in the present study than was reported previously (18). Whereas subjects had a chance to resolve perceived cognitive dissonance by explicitly stating their new preferences in the present study, there was no such chance during the fMRI scanning in the previous study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Whereas subjects had a chance to resolve perceived cognitive dissonance by explicitly stating their new preferences in the present study, there was no such chance during the fMRI scanning in the previous study. In other words, it might be the case that while van Veen et al (18) identified brain areas involved in passive emotional reaction to perceived cognitive dissonance (i.e., dACC and anterior insula), brain areas identified in the present study (i.e., dACC and DLPFC) are involved in the active dissonance reduction process following dissonance perception. Nonetheless, these two studies converge to show that the dACC plays an important role in cognitive dissonance; the exact roles played by other areas in the cognitive dissonance process should be further investigated in future research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 47%

“…Although a previous study reported the involvement of the dACC in cognitive dissonance (18), the present study extended it in a different paradigm. We showed that dACC activity reflects the degree of cognitive dissonance (CDI) on a trial-by-trial basis, thus providing more solid evidence that dACC activity is a neural correlate of cognitive dissonance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…The involvement of the ACC in cognitive dissonance has been predicted by Harmon-Jones (16,17). Recently, van Veen et al (18) adapted the induced compliance paradigm (19) to the fMRI scanner and found that the ACC and anterior insula are involved in cognitive dissonance. In the present study, we sought to extend their findings (18) and test whether the ACC and anterior insula track subjects' perceived dissonance on a trial-by-trial basis.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, van Veen et al (18) adapted the induced compliance paradigm (19) to the fMRI scanner and found that the ACC and anterior insula are involved in cognitive dissonance. In the present study, we sought to extend their findings (18) and test whether the ACC and anterior insula track subjects' perceived dissonance on a trial-by-trial basis. In the current free-choice paradigm, it is possible to quantify the degree of dissonance in each trial by calculating the discrepancy between subjects' past decisions (i.e., chose or rejected) and their preferences for each food item (Methods).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Neural correlates of cognitive dissonance and choice-induced preference change

Izuma

Matsumoto

Murayama³

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

204

251

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According to many modern economic theories, actions simply reflect an individual's preferences, whereas a psychological phenomenon called "cognitive dissonance" claims that actions can also create preference. Cognitive dissonance theory states that after making a difficult choice between two equally preferred items, the act of rejecting a favorite item induces an uncomfortable feeling (cognitive dissonance), which in turn motivates individuals to change their preferences to match their prior decision (i.e., reducing preference for rejected items). Recently, however, Chen and Risen [Chen K, Risen J (2010) J Pers Soc Psychol 99:573-594] pointed out a serious methodological problem, which casts a doubt on the very existence of this choice-induced preference change as studied over the past 50 y. Here, using a proper control condition and two measures of preferences (self-report and brain activity), we found that the mere act of making a choice can change self-report preference as well as its neural representation (i.e., striatum activity), thus providing strong evidence for choice-induced preference change. Furthermore, our data indicate that the anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tracked the degree of cognitive dissonance on a trial-by-trial basis. Our findings provide important insights into the neural basis of how actions can alter an individual's preferences.I n Aesop's Fable "The Fox and the Grapes," a fox tries to get some grapes that are hanging on a high, unreachable vine. After failing to reach them, the fox decides that the grapes were probably sour anyway. An interesting aspect of this story is the idea that actions (e.g., giving up on the grapes) can change preferences. Because the dissonance-induced preference change indicates that behaviors can create, not just reflect, people's preferences, it challenges a vital assumption in neoclassical economics that preference or "hedonic utility" determines people's behavior (1).Since Brehm's original study in 1956 (2), this sort of preference change (i.e., the increase in ratings for chosen goods and/or the decrease in ratings for rejected goods) has been repeatedly observed under the "free-choice paradigm" (3-6). In a typical freechoice study design, participants are asked to: (i) rate their preference for a set of goods (e.g., art prints, CDs, and so forth), (ii) choose between two of the goods, and (iii) rate them again. After making a difficult choice between two equally preferred items at stage ii, individuals tend to like the selected item more and the rejected item less than they originally did (2). This tendency happens because when making a choice between two equally highly preferred items, individuals have to give up either of the two liked items. According to cognitive dissonance theory (7), simultaneously holding two or more contradictory cognitions (e.g., "I like the item" and "I rejected it") causes a psychological discomfort called "cognitive dissonance," and individuals are motivated to reduce this discomfort by changing...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 47%

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confidence: 63%

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