“I KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO, BUT…” WHEN HYPOCRISY LEADS TO BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
- 1 January 2004
- journal article
- Published by Scientific Journal Publishers Ltd in Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal
- Vol. 32 (8) , 741-746
Abstract
Hypocrisy procedure has been used to induce behavioral change in a wide variety of areas including water conservation, condom use, and donations for homeless people. Hypocrisy implies the articulation of two factors: advocating a prosocial position and being made mindful of failures to behave according to that advocacy. This dissonance leads to a behavioral change which is the most efficient way to restore the self, in line with the self-consistency conception of dissonance. The aim of this study was to refine this procedure in a new setting: road safety area and specifically respect for speed limits. Moreover, we used a feedback threatening versus strengthening people's self-concept. The results suggest that threatening the self-concept enhances the hypocritical effect.Keywords
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