BehaviorChange

Ambivalence and dissonance research provides insights into the experiences and consequences of cognitive conflict. Despite the conceptual overlap between both conflicts, they are typically discussed and applied separately. Based on the notion that ambivalence reflects pre-decisional and dissonance reflects post-decisional conflict, we propose the Model of Ambivalent Choice and Dissonant Commitment (AC/DC model). The AC/DC model outlines that both conflicts are rooted in attitudes; however, as they succeed each other in decision-making, they entail distinct cognitive and emotional underpinnings, leading to different motivational consequences. Their sequence in decision-making entails far-reaching interrelations, depending on whether people cope with the conflict-induced discomfort or the conflict origins. Thereby, the AC/DC model elucidates how conflicts are navigated within decision-making and how they either resolve or manifest over time. This offers various novel implications, for instance, about conflicts regarding time-sensitive decisions, conflicts between alternatives, conflicts outside of decision situations, and conflict resolution and behaviour change.

Eating less meat would benefit environmental sustainability, human health, and animal welfare. Providing information about this, however, does often not lead people to adopt according beliefs, attitudes or behaviors. In fact, dietary changes are often prevented by dissonance reduction (i.e. moral disengagement) if information elicits a conflict regarding meat. In the present investigation we thus aimed to address moral disengagement via a communication strategy that consisted of two stages: In Stage I, we presented information by showing distressing scenes from animal agriculture. In Stage II, we then counteracted moral disengagement in a dialog. Two studies indicate that, following the dialog, people’s evaluations of meat changed and their willingness to eat meat decreased; this seemed to result from lowered moral disengagement. By providing an empirically tested communication strategy for addressing moral disengagement on the exemplary conflict regarding meat, we hope to inspire research and interventions that intend to communicate (environmental) issues.