Unlock hundreds more features
Save your Quiz to the Dashboard
View and Export Results
Use AI to Create Quizzes and Analyse Results

Sign inSign in with Facebook
Sign inSign in with Google

Cognitive Dissonance Test: Self-Esteem Insights

15 quick questions to check your grasp and get instant results in our cognitive dissonance quiz.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Michael WendlerUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art themed cognitive dissonance and self-esteem quiz.

This cognitive dissonance test helps you spot how clashing beliefs can affect your self-esteem. Answer 15 quick questions and get instant results you can use. For related insight, try our self esteem quiz, check patterns with an insecurity test, or reflect on strengths with a self worth quiz.

Which term best describes the mental discomfort you feel when your actions conflict with your beliefs or values?
Mood incongruence
Cognitive dissonance
Groupthink
Memory interference
undefined
Who introduced the theory of cognitive dissonance?
Albert Bandura
Leon Festinger
B. F. Skinner
Carl Rogers
undefined
Which statement best defines self-esteem?
A person's current mood state
A person's ability to influence others
A person's global evaluation of their own worth
A person's specific belief about succeeding at a task (self-efficacy)
undefined
Which widely used instrument measures global self-esteem?
Beck Depression Inventory
Big Five Inventory
Stroop Color-Word Task
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
undefined
How does the foot-in-the-door technique relate to consistency motives?
Agreeing to a small request increases compliance with a larger request to stay consistent
People feel consistent only when requests are anonymous
Consistency motives decrease after any request is refused
A large initial request ensures later requests seem trivial, regardless of consistency
undefined
Which situation best illustrates effort justification?
Choosing the cheaper product because it was on sale
After a grueling tryout, a person values the team more than someone who had an easy entry
Remembering pleasant events more than unpleasant ones
Avoiding a task due to lack of time
undefined
Post-decision dissonance most commonly arises after which type of choice?
Deferring a decision to another day
Selecting between two similarly attractive options
Choosing between an attractive and an obviously inferior option
Making a random choice with no information
undefined
Which option is an example of adding a consonant cognition to reduce dissonance?
Intentionally increasing the inconsistency to feel motivated
Reminding yourself of health benefits after deciding to exercise despite disliking it
Catastrophizing the consequences of any change
Ignoring all information about your choice
undefined
According to self-affirmation theory, people reduce threat by doing what?
Suppressing negative thoughts until they fade
Affirming important personal values to maintain overall self-integrity
Replacing global self-esteem with domain-specific self-efficacy
Maximizing immediate rewards to distract from the threat
undefined
The insufficient justification effect predicts attitude change most strongly under which condition?
When memory for the event is weak
When external incentives are very large for performing a favored behavior
When external incentives are small for engaging in a counter-attitudinal behavior
When punishment is severe for refusing a request
undefined
In self-discrepancy theory, a gap between the actual self and the ideal self is most associated with which emotional pattern?
Primarily anger and hostility
Agitation-related emotions (e.g., anxiety)
Neutral affect with no emotional response
Dejection-related emotions (e.g., sadness)
undefined
On average, which cultural context reports less explicit self-enhancement in self-evaluations?
North American individualist contexts
Cultural context is unrelated to self-enhancement
East Asian collectivist contexts
Both show identical levels across all studies
undefined
Dissonance magnitude rises with the importance of the inconsistent cognitions.
True
False
undefined
Self-compassion can buffer ego threat without inflating self-esteem.
True
False
undefined
Experiencing cognitive dissonance requires conscious awareness at the moment.
True
False
undefined
Which profile best reflects defensive high self-esteem?
High explicit self-esteem and low implicit self-esteem
Low explicit and low implicit self-esteem
High explicit and high implicit self-esteem
Low explicit and high implicit self-esteem
undefined
A strong need for cognitive closure increases tolerance for ambiguity.
False
True
undefined
Dissonance effects occur only in Western cultures.
True
False
undefined
Alcohol generally heightens sensitivity to dissonance arousal.
True
False
undefined
Autonomic arousal (e.g., increased skin conductance) has been observed alongside dissonance arousal in some studies.
False
True
undefined
0

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse situations of cognitive dissonance in daily behavior.
  2. Evaluate the relationship between self-esteem and attitude changes.
  3. Identify personal triggers that cause internal belief conflicts.
  4. Apply strategies to reduce dissonance and boost self-worth.
  5. Demonstrate understanding of core theoretical principles.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Understanding Cognitive Dissonance - Ever felt your brain doing a mental tug-of-war when beliefs collide or actions betray your values? That uncomfortable buzz, called cognitive dissonance, pushes you to tweak your thoughts or choices to get back in sync. Dive into all the juicy details in the .
  2. Role of Self-Esteem in Dissonance - Rocking high self-esteem makes you quick to spot and fix any mismatch between what you do and who you think you are, while lower self-esteem often keeps you chill in the same scenario. Curious how this plays out? Check out .
  3. Self-Standards Model - According to this model, dissonance flares up when your behavior falls short of your own self-standards, and different standards light different fires. Whether you compare yourself to who you could be or who you think you should be changes how you resolve the tension. Get the full scoop in .
  4. Impact of Self-Attribute Relevance - When you're reminded of a personal quality that clashes with your actions, the dissonance alarm goes off - especially if you value that trait. If the reminder feels random, you're far less motivated to shift your attitude. Dive into this effect in .
  5. Self-Consistency Theory - We all crave harmony between our self-concept and our actions. When a clash happens - especially for those with sky-high self-esteem - dissonance kicks in and you're driven to realign your attitudes to restore that inner balance. Explore the mechanics in .
  6. Strategies to Reduce Dissonance - There are three classic moves: change your behavior, adjust your beliefs, or toss in new thoughts to bridge the gap. Mastering these strategies can turn dissonance from a foe into a tool for growth. Learn more from the .
  7. Post-Decision Dissonance - After you make a choice, your mind loves to jazz up your pick and trash-talk the ones you didn't choose - hello, instant justification! This clever trick helps you feel confident and squash any lingering doubts. See examples in .
  8. Influence of Self-Certainty - If you're rock-solid sure about who you are, any slip between your actions and standards triggers big dissonance, pushing you to shift your attitude. People with less self-certainty feel the buzz less intensely. Check out the research in .
  9. Self-Affirmation Theory - Boosting your self-worth in an unrelated area can soothe dissonance without forcing you to change the specific belief or behavior at hand. It's like taking a mental spa day to protect your positive self-image. Read the full discussion in .
  10. Practical Applications - From personal growth to conflict resolution, spotting and tackling dissonance empowers you to make better decisions and feel more mentally comfortable. Next time you sense tension, use these insights to restore harmony - and ace your self-study! For hands-on examples, visit .
Powered by: Quiz Maker