Generalization of dissonance reduction: Decreasing prejudice through induced compliance.

Three studies demonstrated that induced compliance can change socially significant attitudes and that the change generalizes to broader beliefs. White college students wrote an essay endorsing a proBlack policy that was costly to Whites. In Experiments 1 and 2, attitudes and general beliefs about Blacks became more favorable in both high- and low-choice conditions, provided publicity of the essay was high. Overall, choice and publicity had additive effects on attitude change. Some highchoice Ss wrote only semipositive (semicompliant) essays and did not change their essay attitudes. Yet their beliefs about Blacks still became more favorable. In Experiment 3, racial ambivalence, but not prior attitude, predicted essay compliance (positive or semipositive essay). Ambivalent Ss were more likely to comply than were less ambivalent Ss