Question One
When are behaviors associated with cognitive dissonance rational? When are they irrational? Describe some examples from your life experience that illustrate the nature of cognitive dissonance.
Question Two
Think of a time when you found yourself in the midst of a work-related situation in which you behaved or reacted out of character that is, in a manner very different from your accustomed mode of behavior. Describe the nature of this situation and your feelings regarding your own behavior. Try to make sense of your experience in light of your knowledge of conformity and the power of situational pressures.
Question Three
Within the realm of compliance, securing an initial commitment is key. After making a commitment, people are more willing to agree to requests that are in keeping with that prior commitment. When are commitments most effective? How might you adapt some of the commitment-gaining strategies discussed in the Influence textbook (Chapter 3) into the organizational leadership realm? As a team leader, how might the use of a “team charter” improve project team member commitment and compliance? And, finally, whats your experience with team charters and the team charter development process?
Question Four
What are the three levels of conformity, and what is the primary driver associated with each? Illustrate each of these levels of conformity with an example (ideally from your own organizational / project management experience, but other types of examples are OK if you don’t yet have much organizational experience).
Question Five
Imagine that you are having trouble motivating yourself to study for an important exam that is less than a week away. Drawing upon your knowledge of the commitment process, describe what you would do to get yourself to put in the necessary study time. Be sure to explain why your chosen actions ought to work.