Attitudinal Politics in the Forced Compliance Situation

Summary

Two experiments were conducted to test competing predictions by dissonance and impression management theories in the forced compliance situation. In the first experiment Ss’ attitudes were measured either by a reliable or an unreliable bogus pipeline and manifested attitude change only in the latter condition. In the second experiment typical manipulations of anonymity were carried out; in addition, the E was said to be associated or dissociated from the university. Only when the E was associated with the university did the Ss manifest attitude change. These results were interpreted as showing that Ss feign attitude change only when they do not fear unmasking as liars and only when they anticipate possible future interaction with the E. These results are interpretable by impression management theory, but do not appear consistent with dissonance theory.