COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

PSY610: Applied Social Psychology Week 2

Scenario: The Health Club

The local health club went out of business a few months ago, citing a lack of members

who were committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There is a new owner who is

featured in a news article discussing her strategy for success in her new health club

venture. Her plan is to give prizes and other incentives to members who visit the health

club at least three times per week each month and log a one hour workout each time .

She also plans to reduce the monthly member fees by a percentage for each pound a

member loses up to the first 20 pounds lost. She is certain that the external incentives

will increase members’ intrinsic motivation to adopt a healthier lifestyle and increase

their amount of exercise.

Based on your readings this week, what does the research show about the new health

club owner’s strategy to motivate members to visit the health club and exercise more

often? Is she on the right track with her incentives plan? Why or why not? What does

the literature show about the effect of external rewards on intrinsic motivation? Based

on the persuasion literature, what techniques might be successful in helping the new

owner attract new business? What clues does the persuasion literature offer in terms of

how to market the gym and the incentives plan successfully? Finally, how might

cognitive dissonance theory and/or self-perception theory play a role in members’

adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle?