IV. Choices: Brehm, 1956

  1. Sophie's Choice, Post-Decisional Regret, and Spreading of Alternatives

  2. Method
    1. Women participate in a consumer marketing study
    2. Evaluate 8 household products on a 1-8 rating scale
    3. Given a choice between 2 products as gift for participation

  3. The Choice
    1. Group A: Choose between self-rated "3" and "6"
    2. Group B: Choose between self-rated "5" and "6"

  4. Oops, I Forgot
    1. Could you please re-rate the 8 household products?
    2. Use same 1-8 rating scale

  5. Results

  6. Interpretation
    1. Group A had easy choice; no dissonance
    2. Group B had a problem; two equally attractive alternatives
    3. Chosing produced dissonance
    4. Dissonance relieved with Attitude Change
    5. Rate unchosen product as worse

Product Rating by Trial and Group
1st Rating 2nd Rating Difference
Group A (No Diss)
Item Chosen 5.98 6.30 +0.33
Item Not Chosen 3.54 3.40 -0.14
Group B (Diss)
Item Chosen 6.19 6.39 +0.20
Item Not Chosen 5.23 4.57 -0.66

Interpretation

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Updated March 21, 1996; Copyright © SBB, 1996