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External Justification
Explanations > Theories > External Justification
Description | Example | So What? | See also | References
Description
When we do something that causes uncomfortable cognitive dissonance, we will have a greater tendency to justify it by making external attributions, blaming it on something outside of us. This is as opposed to internal justification, where we attribute it to our character or some personal trait or belief.
Example
When you last had a car accident, did you blame yourself? Or did you blame the road, the rain, or something else?
So what?
Using it
When the other person runs away from the truth, maintain the tension by holding up a mirror so they cannot externally justify their actions. Or take the opposite approach: when they are suffering dissonance, build trust by helping them externally justify.
Defending
Beware of people blaming you as they externally justify their actions.
See also
Attribution Theory, Cognitive Dissonance, Counter-Attitudinal Advocacy (CAA), Extrinsic Motivation
References
Festinger and Carlsmith (1959)
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