COGNITIVE-DISSONANCE REDUCTION AS CONSTRAINT SATISFACTION

A constraint satisfaction neural network model (the consonance model) simulated data from the two major cognitive dissonance paradigms of in sufficient justification and free choice. In several cases, the model fit the human data better than did cognitive dissonance theory. Superi or fits were due to the inclusion of constraints that were not part of dissonance theory and to the increased precision inherent to this com putational approach. Predictions generated by the model for a free cho ice between undesirable alternatives were confirmed in a new psycholog ical experiment. The success of the consonance model underscores impor tant, unforeseen similarities between what had been formerly regarded as the rather exotic process of dissonance reduction and a variety of other, more mundane psychological processes. Many of these processes c an be understood as the progressive application of constraints supplie d by beliefs and attitudes.