The model of ambivalent choice and dissonant commitment: an integration of dissonance and ambivalence frameworks
Publication date
2024-07-03
Document type
Forschungsartikel
Author
Organisational unit
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Series or journal
European Review of Social Psychology
ISSN
Periodical volume
36
Periodical issue
1
First page
195
Last page
237
Peer-reviewed
✅
Part of the university bibliography
✅
Language
English
Abstract
Ambivalence and dissonance research provides insights into the experiences and consequences of cognitive conflict. Despite the conceptual overlap between both conflicts, they are typically discussed and applied separately. Based on the notion that ambivalence reflects pre-decisional and dissonance reflects post-decisional conflict, we propose the Model of Ambivalent Choice and Dissonant Commitment (AC/DC model). The AC/DC model outlines that both conflicts are rooted in attitudes; however, as they succeed each other in decision-making, they entail distinct cognitive and emotional underpinnings, leading to different motivational consequences. Their sequence in decision-making entails far-reaching interrelations, depending on whether people cope with the conflict-induced discomfort or the conflict origins. Thereby, the AC/DC model elucidates how conflicts are navigated within decision-making and how they either resolve or manifest over time. This offers various novel implications, for instance, about conflicts regarding time-sensitive decisions, conflicts between alternatives, conflicts outside of decision situations, and conflict resolution and behaviour change.
Description
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Version
Published version
Access right on openHSU
Metadata only access