What occurs when external justification is minimal in the context of cognitive dissonance?

When external justification is minimal, individuals often experience a state of cognitive dissonance, which is a psychological discomfort arising from holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes. In this situation, where external factors do not sufficiently justify a behavior, individuals are likely to resolve this dissonance by altering their internal cognitions.

This adjustment involves changing their attitudes or beliefs to align more closely with their actions. For example, if someone engages in behavior that contradicts their beliefs but recognizes that they cannot attribute this behavior to strong external pressures, they are likely to reinterpret their beliefs to reduce the internal conflict. By changing their internal cognitions, they achieve a sense of consistency that alleviates the discomfort caused by cognitive dissonance.

In contrast, scenarios where external justification is present typically do not lead to significant changes in internal beliefs because the justification provides a satisfactory reason for the behavior, thus allowing individuals to rationalize their actions without the need for cognitive adjustment.