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I’m really trying to understand what you’re saying here. I agree that in the above example it is cognitive dissonance. But I don’t see how the money factor is any different than any other consideration. </p>
<p>Let’s say the price is the same. For a day or two you go through the old 2x2 matrix of Rice/Tulane and Pros/Cons. You suspend judgment and during that time both choices seem about the same. Then you choose one option, in our case Rice. Then you find that without trying you start to think more highly of Rice. How is that not cognitive dissonance? Or maybe I should say, how would the money angle make it any different? What if money doesn’t matter to me? What if Barbecue vs. Cajun or Frats vs. Residential Colleges is the really important issue? What is it about money in the decision making process that makes it any different than any other value?</p>
<p>BTW, I know that on the Internet it’s very easy to take disagreement as hostility. I hope the above comes across as friendly inquiry, which is my intent.</p>