4. Survey on cognitive dissonance: analysis and results
After the preliminary survey, the same 2000 respondents participated
in the first main survey, which was designed for an assessment of
preference changes after choices were made regarding nuclear power
generation and electricity rates. We followed the basic procedures of
the free-choice paradigm. In this paradigm, participants are first asked
to rate several items (e.g., music albums, political candidates) according
to their preference (first rating task). Second, they are asked to choose
between two of the items that had similar preference ratings in the
first rating task (choice task). Finally, they are asked to rate their preference
for the same items one more time (second rating task). Studies