McMahon, Emma L. (2024) How does Right-Wing Authoritarianism Influence the Relationship Between Choice of Diet and Usage of Cognitive Dissonance Reduction Strategies? Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Consuming animal products has widespread negative effects on the environment, health, and animal welfare. Many people experience negative arousal from engaging in this behaviour and use cognitive dissonance reduction strategies to decrease their aversive state, thereby resisting behavioural change. People’s dietary choice and political orientation may impact the level of use of such strategies, yet their role has so far gained little attention. This study investigates how right- wing authoritarianism influences the relationship between choice of diet and usage of the cognitive dissonance reduction strategies of means-ends justifications, wilful ignorance, and denial of negative consequences. I hypothesise that dietary choice and right-wing authoritarianism are both related to the extent of using these cognitive dissonance reduction strategies and that an interaction effect exists. To test this, 161 participants were assessed on the above-mentioned variables in a cross-sectional online survey. The study yielded three main findings. Firstly, it found a gradient in use of justifications and denial from high to low for omnivores, pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans, respectively. Secondly, there was a moderate positive association between right-wing authoritarianism and means-ends justifications as well as denial of negative consequences. Thirdly, right-wing authoritarianism and choice of diet interact in their influence, so that more authoritarian omnivores and pescatarians used more justifications as well as denial, and more authoritarian vegetarians used more justifications compared to their less authoritarian counterparts. There were no significant results concerning wilful ignorance. These findings highlight the interplay of right- wing authoritarianism and dietary choice concerning cognitive dissonance reduction strategy use which informs the development of intervention aiming to decrease animal product consumption.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
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| Supervisor name: | Muinos Trujillo, G. and Kok, C.A. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Mar 2024 09:37 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Mar 2024 09:37 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3176 |
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