Conclusion

There are some interesting discoveries about this cognitive dissonance theory in consumer behavior:

• It's easier to generate cognitive dissonance in term of post purchase anxiety for high involbvement products, like cars and computers. AS for low involemenet products, like tooth past, consumers can easily find ways to reduce or eliminate the cognitive discomfort.
• The more the number of cognitive elements relating to the characteristics of chosen and unchosen alternatives, the less the dissonance.
• Dissonance will be greater if the promised reward or threatened punishment is either just sufficient to draw out an evident behavior, or is just barely not sufficient to educe it.
• When one is forced or compelled to make the decision, there will be less dissonance.

Cognitive Dissonance Thoery is a broad and widely applied theory, a so-called "good" theory, especially in the consumer decision/attitude researches.

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