Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Unzureichender Rechtfertigungseffekt / Español: Efecto de justificación insuficiente / Português: Efeito de justificação insuficiente / Français: Effet de justification insuffisante / Italiano: Effetto di giustificazione insufficiente /

Insufficient justification effect refers to the reduction of dissonance by internally justifying one's behavior when external justification is "insufficient".

The insufficient justification effect is a psychological phenomenon where people attribute more importance or value to a task or behavior when their initial motivation for doing it is insufficient. In other words, when there is little or no external reason for performing a task, people tend to justify their behavior by attributing greater intrinsic value to it.

One classic example of the insufficient justification effect is the "dull task" experiment conducted by Festinger and Carlsmith in 1959. In this study, participants were asked to perform a series of tedious and monotonous tasks, such as turning pegs in a board for an hour. They were then paid either $1 or $20 for their participation and were subsequently asked to rate how enjoyable the task was. Those who were paid $1 reported enjoying the task more than those who were paid $20. The researchers concluded that the participants who were paid $1 experienced insufficient justification for performing the task and therefore attributed more value to it than those who were paid $20.

Another example of the insufficient justification effect can be seen in the workplace. When employees are given little autonomy or control over their work and are not given external rewards for their efforts, they may justify their behavior by attributing greater intrinsic value to their work.

Similar to the insufficient justification effect are the overjustification effect and the self-perception theory. The overjustification effect occurs when external rewards are introduced for a behavior that was previously intrinsically motivated, and the intrinsic motivation for that behavior diminishes as a result. For example, if a child who enjoys drawing is given a reward for drawing, they may begin to view drawing as something they do for the reward rather than for the intrinsic enjoyment of the activity.

Self-perception theory proposes that people infer their own attitudes and beliefs by observing their behavior and the circumstances surrounding it. When people engage in a behavior without a clear external justification, they may infer that they must have an internal attitude or belief that is driving their behavior. For example, if someone consistently volunteers at a homeless shelter without receiving any external reward or recognition, they may begin to infer that they have a genuine desire to help others.

In summary, the insufficient justification effect is a phenomenon where people attribute greater intrinsic value to a task or behavior when their initial motivation for doing it is insufficient. This effect can be observed in a variety of contexts, from laboratory experiments to the workplace. Similar concepts include the overjustification effect and the self-perception theory, which also explore the relationship between external rewards and intrinsic motivation. Understanding these concepts can help us better understand how people form attitudes and beliefs about their own behavior.