Chapters 1-4 + readings.

You will write me a very long and complex essay. I have set the exam so you can access the essay over and over but it will not consider you finished until you hit the submit. The exam is due Friday Mar 3rd by 11:59PM. You will read this an answer all questions an include them in the essay ok !!! Follow directions please its a ” Psychology Essay” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As fossil fuel sources become reduced in supply and the industrialization of the world increases demand for these products, Americans have seen the price of petroleum increase dramatically. Do to the strain on their budgets, Americans have become more aware of petroleum conservation and alternate energy as an important social issue.

However, other countries see this issue as still not one being taken seriously by the US. They point out that while many world powers are interested in alternate energy for its benefits to reducing pollution, lowering global warming, increasing air quality, and other environmental concerns Americans seem to only express interest in alternate energy as a methods of improving the economy by being less dependant on foreign oil.

Finally, Americans are seen as hypocrites for their new found stance on oil conservation because while many citizens are becoming outraged by rising gasoline prices they are not willing to change their fuel wasting behaviors such as:

1. replacing their large “gas guzzling” SUV’s, trucks, vans, and hummers with smaller more environmentally friendly models
2. investing in large scale public transportation
3. reducing wasteful driving such as “cruising” by adolescence
4. adopting car pool programs
5. reduction of fuel consuming luxuries such as car racing, private piloting, & motorized boating

As a social psychology expert in social cognition and self justification, explore in a written essay the cognitive processes that allow Americans to operate under these opposing attitudes and behaviors and suggest programs that would create both attitudinal and behavioral change favorable for petroleum conservation. Utilize the research from article discussions to support your arguments. Delve into each article with enough detail that readers unfamiliar with psychology can understand what was done in each experiment and how it relates to the above issue.

Be sure to include in your discussion:

The possibility that our attitudes towards energy conservation are not very accessible leading to decreased behavior in their application (you need to know the term for this)

At least 2 other social beleif issues to explain our decision making

Relate to Self Serving Bias

Relation of Cognitive dissonance

How the decision of buying a fuel inefficient vehicle creates dissonance that will lead to confirmation biased thinking,

Using video taping to encourage consumers to attribute their own fuel wasting behaviors to their own dispositional factors and not environmental factors that could be a form of external justification as related to Storms (1973)

Using the foot in the door technique to get consumers to make major changes in their petroleum usage as related to Freedman & Frasier (1966)

i will upload all articles u will need to read for this ESSAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!