[Dissonance] D'Alessio & Allen (2007)

[dissonance at psychologie-sociale.org]

Référence Complète :
D'Alessio, D., & Allen, M. (2007). The Selective Exposure Hypothesis and 
Media Choice Processes. In R. W. Preiss, B. M. Gayle, N. Burrell, M. 
Allen, & J. Bryant (Eds), Mass media effects research: Advances through 
meta-analysis. (pp. 103-118). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum 
Associates Publishers.

Résumé :
(from the create) In this chapter we have examined selective exposure 
from the standpoint of the theory of cognitive dissonance in its 
strictest sense: that of postdecisional dissonance. This term defines 
the realm of applicability of the specific conclusions we have been 
discussing. It needs to be explicitly stated that we have been 
discussing selective exposure that has occurred after a decision between 
attractive alternatives. This area of research is interesting 
theoretically, but of limited practical implication. By definition, a 
theory of postdecisional dissonance can predict neither behavior nor 
cognitive processing before a decision, including the decision-making 
process itself, and so it is of limited utility to people who have a 
vested interest in the valence of decisions. Our findings do imply that 
were we car salesmen, we would like to have available a number of 
brochures extolling the virtues of the cars we were selling to provide 
reinforcing information after the sale. Based on the studies in this 
chapter, we have concluded that people routinely selectively expose 
themselves to messages in accord with their existing attitudinal 
structures and avoid incongruent messages (Study 1). In the specific 
realm of human behavior that dissonance theory was designed to explain, 
that is, behavior following decisions between attractive alternatives, 
people engage in selective exposure with a certain degree of consistency 
(Study 2). In specific situations designed to model ritualized viewing 
decisions (sequential presentation of stimuli), selective exposure is 
substantially more powerful than it is in decisions made between 
simultaneously presented stimuli (Study 3). We suspect the reason for 
selective exposure being weaker with simultaneously presented material 
is that the simultaneous presentation forces users to consider a number 
of factors to appear to be making a rational choice, that is, to 
formulate an ad hoc theory. We suspect that the use of ad hoc theories 
is more prevalent in instrumental viewing (and media use generally) than 
it is in ritualized viewing. Finally, on the whole, it is clear that 
psychological processes, including but also clearly not limited to 
cognitive dissonance, play a role in the consumption of media. It is 
critical as we study the role of media in society to remember that 
exposure is the first step in any media effects process model. If we 
want to know what media do to people, it behooves us to figure out what 
people do with media.

Mots-Clés :
selective exposure hypothesis ; media choice processes ; cognitive 
dissonance ; cognitive balance

Contacts :
D'Alessio, Dave, University of Connecticut-Stamford, Stamford, CT, US
Allen, Mike, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, US

ISBN :
0-8058-4998-X (hardcover)
0-8058-4999-8 (paperback)
9780805849998 (paperback)