Different levels of cognitive dissonance, information seeking, and information avoidance.

An experiment with 122 15–17 yr olds tested the curvilinear relationship between the amount of dissonance and the tendency to seek consonant information and avoid dissonant information. The dependent variables, information seeking and information avoidance, were measured separately, and additional data were collected about the perceived probability of revising the decision and about changes of decision certainty. Results show that Ss' preference for information consonant with the decision was highest when they had neither won nor lost large amounts of money. With increasing gains or losses, the opposite tendency emerged. This pattern held both for the number of consonant pieces of information chosen and for the difference in desirability ratings for reading consonant vs dissonant communications. Independent of the amount of money won or lost, more dissonant than consonant information was avoided. Data are explained within the framework of dissonance theory as well as choice-certainty theory. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)