Spreading of alternatives helps to manage dissonance by:

Spreading of alternatives is a cognitive process that occurs when individuals evaluate their choices and reduce the dissonance that arises after making a decision. This phenomenon primarily involves the enhancement of the attractiveness of the chosen alternative while simultaneously diminishing the allure of the alternatives that were not chosen. By minimizing the perceived characteristics of both the selected option and the options that were passed up, individuals can reconcile any feelings of regret or second-guessing about their decisions.

In this context, when a choice is made, individuals often remind themselves of the reasons for their decision and the drawbacks of the alternatives. This contrast helps them to feel more confident and satisfied about their choice, thereby reducing dissonance. The psychological discomfort that may arise from valuing both the chosen and unchosen options equally diminishes when individuals can focus on the positive aspects of what they selected and the negative features of what they rejected.

The other options do not represent the process accurately. They either suggest an overall increase in desirable qualities for all options or imply impulsiveness in decision-making, which does not relate directly to the cognitive evaluation involved in spreading alternatives. Consequently, the effectiveness of spreading alternatives in managing dissonance is best captured by the way it minimizes the perceived characteristics of both the chosen and unchosen options