Choice ambiguity, dissonance, and defensiveness

Female repressors and sensitizers were presented with a choice between two pens of different colors from five which they had previously rated on a relative-attractiveness scale Following choice, they rerated the pens under one of two conditions (a) where the choice had unequivocal implications for their femininity or (b) where it had equivocal implications for femininity Attractiveness ratings of the pens before and after choice constituted the major dependent variable Repressors tended to show greater average change in ratings than sensitizers under low ambiguity but not under high ambiguity Skin conductance measurements did not show interpretable dissonance effects, but there was evidence of R-S differences in skin conductance and self-report measures of tension