Cause Of Justification Essay

The research paper examines the causes of justification: cognitive dissonance and rationalisation. In the first cause, to avoid dissonance one resorts to justification. Secondly, because of rationalisation, where the mind overpowers the intellect, one justifies. Examples are drawn from different walks of life like the media and law to highlight its impact in the society. The general effect of justification is that it camouflages the evils of society and gives a false sense of rationality. Based on faulty reasoning, immoral actions are justified as being moral. Further analysis draws out different types of justification prevalent in the society such as market, industrial, civic, inspiration, domestic and fame. The conclusion arrived at points

the action of showing something to be right or reasonable: the justification of revolutionary action; he made a speech in justification of his career(Oxford Dictionary, www.oxforddictionaries.com)

2. something (such as a fact or circumstance) that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary; the act of defending or explaining or making excuses for by reasoning:the justification of barbarous means by holy ends - H.J. Muller (elook.org Dictionary)

3. a reason why something is correct and morally right: he considered misrule a justification for revolution(www.macmillandictionary.com)

4. to prove or show something to be right, just or reasonable: the person appointed has fully justified our confidence,all these incidents were used again as a justification for my sacking (Chambers Dictionary, www.chambersharrap.co.uk)

Special Meanings:

• Law : a plea showing sufficient reason for an action(Chambers Dictionary,

To resolve this dissonance one can resort to justification. The theory also takes into account people’s need to preserve a stable, positive self-concept. E. Tory Higgins of the New York University published a psychological review in 1987, Self-Discrepancy: A Theory Relating Self and Affect, which substantiates the dissonance theory. It holds that people are motivated to maintain a sense of consistency among their beliefs and perceptions of themselves, and become distressed when there is a discrepancy between the “actual self” and an “ideal” or “ought” self.Further the review explains cognitive dissonance as follows: “Amonga wide array of possibilities, three basic types of incompatibleself-beliefs can be identified: (a) inconsistencies between one'sself-perceived attributes (or self-concept) and external, behavioral feedback related to one's self-perceptions; (b) contradictions among one's self-perceived attributes that impede a coherent and unified self-concept; and (c) discrepancies betweenone's self-perceived attributes and some standard or self-guide. Aronson's (1969) version of cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957), with its emphasis on self-expectancies, is an example of the former case. The theory proposes that when peoplebehave in a manner that is inconsistent with their self-concept, they experience discomfort