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Table 1

Dissonance reduction and fluid compensation across studies

	Compliers Only		Full Sample
Study	Dissonance Reduction	Compensatory Affirmation	Dissonance Reduction	Compensatory Affirmation
Study 1	.47***	.28**	.26**	.18†
Study 2		.24†		.10
Study 3 affirmation	.96***	.48**	.54***	.35*
Study 3 motivation		.48**		.28*
Study 3 sensitivity		.07		.06
Study 4 polarization		.38*^a/.32*^b		.23†^a/.32*^b

Both dissonance reduction and fluid compensation are presented as estimated Cohen’s d effect sizes (Nakagawa & Cuthill, 2007) between the forced-compliance (control) condition and the induced-compliance (dissonance) condition. For Study 4, the first effect size (a) represents increased attitude polarization following dissonance, the 2^nd (b) follows a meaning violation.

† = p <.10

* = p < .05

** = p < .01

*** = p < .001

Figure 1 Increased polarization of PD attitudes by condition

Slopes represent the unstandardized beta coefficient of pre-manipulation positive discrimination attitudes predicting post-manipulation support for positive discrimination. All three conditions predict significantly increased polarization of attitudes on the post-manipulation measure. The slopes for both the dissonance and meaning violation groups are significantly greater than the control slope.

Figure 2

Meta-summary of fluid compensation effects following dissonance, including participants who refused to comply.

Effect sizes are generated from models that include non-compliers, but do not use compliance as a moderating variable. This represents the "classic" dissonance analysis, but including non-compliers. 95% confidence intervals based on the normal distribution are presented for individual effects. Effect size for Study 4 represents the increase in attitude polarization from the control to the dissonance condition. Summary statistic represents 95% confidence interval containing the true effect.

1^ e.g., there are only 9 participants in the control condition who refused to comply and received the bond before dissonance reduction.