Changing our Minds

Abstract

‘What happens to a person’s private opinion if he is forced to do or say something contrary to that opinion?’ (p. 203). This is the starting point for Festinger and Carlsmith’s study. They cite some previous work by Janis & King (1954) which showed that, in certain circumstances, when people are required to argue a point of view with which they do not agree, their private opinions can end up shifting towards that point of view. Janis and King had put this effect down to the person’s search for, and rehearsal of, new arguments in favour of that point of view.