Before a big charity event, Bridget decides to get a haircut at an expensive salon. Afterward, she doesn't think it looks any different from her normal cut and is worried that she wasted money. A few hours later, she tells her friends that it was the best haircut she has ever gotten. Bridget's change in attitude is best explained by a. cognitive dissonance b. postdecisional dissonance c. the mere exposure effect d. attitude accessibility

Imagine making a choice that conflicts with what you believe in, and suddenly you're feeling uncomfortable. This is known as cognitive dissonance, a term coined by psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950s. It's the mental discomfort one experiences when holding two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time, or when being confronted with new information that conflicts with existing beliefs.

Take Bridget's scenario, for example. Initially, she feels the haircut isn't worth the money, which conflicts with her action of paying for an expensive salon service. To ease this psychological tension, she might unconsciously alter her perception of the haircut's value. The dissonance could be so unpleasant that she convinces herself the haircut is indeed the best she's ever had, aligning her belief with her action to regain internal harmony. Understanding cognitive dissonance is crucial as it often leads to inexplicable changes in belief or attitude after making decisions. It pushes us to find a justification for our actions, even if it means tweaking our thoughts to make things 'feel right'.

The process one undergoes to reach a conclusion or make a choice, known as decision making, is a complex phenomenon woven into the fabric of psychology. When a person like Bridget decides on where to get a haircut, her decision-making process probably involves weighing the pros and cons, considering past experiences, and predicting future satisfaction.

After making a decision, especially a difficult one, people tend to justify the choices they've made, a process tied closely to cognitive dissonance theory's notion of reducing discomfort. If Bridget feels that she's made a poor decision, she might experience postdecisional dissonance, which kicks off various psychological mechanisms to make her feel more at ease with her choice. Hence, understanding the psychology behind decision-making can provide insights not only into how decisions are made but also into how they're justified post hoc, thereby allowing us to help ourselves and others make better, more satisfying choices.

An attitude is a psychological tendency to evaluate something with some degree of favor or disfavor. Attitude change occurs when an individual changes their outlook regarding an idea, object, or another person. There are several factors that could lead to someone like Bridget going from dissatisfaction with a haircut to declaring it's the best she ever had.

One explanation is through cognitive dissonance, where the discomfort from her decision drives an attitude change to justify the cost and effort. Theories such as self-perception theory suggest that we also infer our attitudes by observing our own behavior and the context in which it occurs. Bridget, receiving compliments from friends or spending time looking at her new haircut, might start to feel differently and adapt her attitude to fit this new perception. Understanding attitude change is vital as it can impact a wide array of behaviors and perceptions, including consumer choices, interpersonal relationships, and personal identity.