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Introducing the theory of cognitive dissonance
Core assumptions of cognitive dissonance theory
Case study cognitive dissonance theory
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lected Theory: Cognitive Dissonance is an objective communication theory created by Leon Festinger, a Stanford University social psychologist. Cognitive Dissonance is a conflicting mental state caused by discrepancy between two beliefs held by an individual. The more important the belief the stronger the dissonance. The strain caused by dissonance leads us to change our behavior or belief. Festinger says there are three different ways to reduce or avoid dissonance: selective exposure, postdecision dissonance, and minimal justification. Also, Festinger describes three different reasons for why one reduces dissonance. These reasons are self- consistency, personal responsibility for bad outcomes, and self- affirmation to dissipate dissonance. …show more content…
The most obvious is the way my two thoughts on whether I should stay at school or go see my family are conflicting and causing me dissonance and me trying to reduce dissonance. Another clear point is the reason for my decision. This reason is one Festinger calls the Personal Responsibility for Bad Outcomes. One reason I chose to go to Terre Haute with my mom is because I knew if I told her that I didn’t want to go that, not only would it hurt her feelings, but she would be disappointed in me. Knowing that I made my mom feel bad would make me feel very guilty and I could not handle being responsible for that. Cognitive Dissonance would say that I reduced my dissonance by changing the importance of staying at school. I reduced the postdecision dissonance I felt by adding consonant elements to the choice I …show more content…
211), better known as a dissonance thermometer. What Devine is saying is that the theory talks about dissonance, but doesn’t clarify the amount of dissonance experienced. Daryl Bem claimed that self perception is an easier explanation for why attitudes change and proved his claim through his own $1/$20 experiment. The most common critique of the theory is that it should be much simpler than it is. Another critique is on the falsifiability of the theory because if an attitude does not change behavior than it is said that dissonance must not have been powerful enough, but its never said that maybe the theory is
Cognitive dissonance is when an individual feels uncomfortable because they are a good person but they have chose to do a bad things. Instead of dealing with the consequences they ignore the situation. Cognitive dissonance can relate to Lords of the flies book on Chapter 9. The morning after the boys killed Simon thinking it was the
One study done by Leon Festinger in 1957 demonstrates the desire to resolve cognitive dissonance. In this experiment, participants had to perform a series of extremely boring tasks, such as putting spools of thread into a box, dumping them out, and then putting them back in for half an hour and turning wooden knobs (that performed no action other than turning) quarter turns until they were all turned, and then starting back at the beginning and turning them all another quarter turn until the “end” of the study. After the participants were finished with their deliberately boring task, they were asked to lie to the next set of participants (actually just confederates) and were offered either one dollar or twenty dollars to tell them that the study was exciting and enjoyable. This task created cognitive dissonance, which can also occur when reading Science Fiction. After the participants lied, they were asked to honestly rate the task they performed. Surprisingly, the participants who were paid less rated the experiment more highly than those who were paid more. The explanation behind this is that the participants who were paid more cold justify their lie with the fact that they got twenty for it, thus resolving the cognitive dissonance. On
A discrepancy between one’s internal and external state means that there is an imbalance of one’s emotional equilibrium. With or without dissonance, the individual is alienating themselves from the rest of the group because they are disconnected from their emotions. My internal state at the celebratory dinner did not match the positive facade I put up, because prior to the event, my car was towed and I anticipated an uncomfortable gathering with both of my parents under one roof. I used deep acting by telling myself that I was there for my brother’s engagement and that I should be happy for him just as my family was. I changed a personal part of myself to fit the context of the
Cognitive dissonance makes it difficult for people to accept conflicting new ideas. Conflicting beliefs create discomfort
Cognitive dissonance is a theory presented by Leon Festinger’s in 1957. This theory suggested that we have an inner drive to hold our attitudes and beliefs in harmony. When we have two inconsistent cognitions this creates dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is physically uncomfortable to experience. There’s some negative physical tension that you feel any time you recognize two inconsistent thoughts or realize that you’ve done something through your behavior that contradicts you true attitudes and beliefs. Dissonance gets in the way of finding some sense of truth. In general, if we want to understand the world, then we want a clear, consistent picture of it. Anything that makes us feel inconsistency of something that’s a problem, and we are motivated to restore consistency again. We can restore
Cognitive dissonance theory is the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent. There are three methods that dissonance can be condensed. Individuals can modify one or more of the beliefs, attitude, behaviors, and more, this way the connection between the two elements are in agreement with one another. Another method is to gather new information that will compensate the dissonant beliefs. The third method is to decrease the importance of the beliefs, attitudes, behavior, and etc. Dissonance theory does not say that these methods will work; only people in the state of cognitive dissonance will use these methods to condense the degree of their dissonance. Cognitive dissonance theory
Cognitive dissonance can be described as the feeling of discomfort resulting from holding two conflicting beliefs. It can also be said to be the mental conflict that occurs when beliefs or assumptions are contradicted by new information. A well-known psychologist Leon Festinger (1919–89), introduced this concept in the late 1950s where he proved that, when confronted with challenging new information; most people are observed to preserve their current understanding of the world by rejecting or avoiding the new information or by convincing themselves that no conflict really exists in one way or the other (Festinger, 04).
The way I would describe cognitive dissonance is contradicting with two different ideas or more. There could be a set of believe but then this could be broken when something else comes along. This can go different ways either by sticking with their first idea, reducing one idea or changing to the other idea.
The first revision was made by University of California social psychologist Elliot Aronson when he was able to determine that there attitude and behavior inconsistencies do not always create dissonance. He created his theory on self-consistency, and that humans were rationalizing animals who just want to appear reasonable to ourselves. One’s self-concept must be inconsistent with the behavior displayed in order for dissonance to be present. A person’s behavior will depend on how that person views self. Princeton psychologist Joel Cooper agrees with Aronson on the first revision that having inconsistencies of attitude and behavior does not mean that dissonance is created; however, he states that knowing that one’s actions have harmed another person unnecessarily will cause dissonance. Knowing beforehand that making the decision could cause harm and still electing to continue is when someone accepts as their own personal responsibility. Stanford psychologist Claude Steele came up with the approach for reduction of dissonance through self-affirmation. The positive thoughts that this brings can block out any consistency issues one may have. When one has high self-esteem, dissonance may quickly appear, but it will soon
“Humans are not a rational animal, but a rationalizing one” (“Class 20”). This was asserted by the much acclaimed, significant, and influential social psychologist Leon Festinger as referencing to his theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Social psychology is “a branch of psychology particularly concerned with understanding social behaviors such as” incentive and compliance (Sheehy). Festinger’s contributions to the social and cognitive branches of psychology as well psychology overall prove themselves worthy to today. This theory specifically challenged many common notions that were seemingly already accepted by behaviorists everywhere during his time (Tavris and Aronson). Its reality awakens its verifications. Consecutively, its “enormous motivational power” affects many on a daily basis (Tavris and Aronson). In the final analysis, the theory of Cognitive Dissonance by Leon Festinger is fundamental to behaviorism while directly changing the way human beings across the planet think and do.
Higgins, Tory. “Self-Discrepancy Theory: What Patterns of Self-Beliefs Cause People to Suffer?”(1989). Advances in Experimental Social psychology, Vol.22 (1989):93-136. Academic Press Inc.
C. Wason was interested in confirmation bias, because he wanted to see if participants would make an assumption and use evidence and reasoning to confirm their bias. Wason conducted an experiments with twenty-nine undergraduate psychology students. The participants included seventeen men and twelve women. Wason’s procedures for his experiment included college participants that made educated guesses about a rule that can be confirmed based off three numbers that he presented on a record sheet. The college participants were able to uncover the rule by recording numbers on their sheet that could pertain to the rule.
Cognitive dissonance looks at the way people combat contradictions within their minds by actively seeking consistency. For his theory, Festinger refers to cognition as thought/mental processes and dissonance as inconsistency. His famous example is that of an addicted smoker who knows that smoking is detrimental to his or her health and is thus in conflict with his or her self. The main hypothesis of Festinger’s theory is comprised of two parts; Festinger wrote about the first part of his theory that "The existence of dissonance, being psychologically uncomfortable, will motivate the person to try to reduce the dissonance and achieve consonance," and described the second "When dissonance is present, in addition to trying to reduce it, the person will actively avoid situations and information which would likely increase the dissonance" (Festinger, 1957). Festinger elaborates on the importance an individual places on reducing cognitive dissonance by discussing two essential factors: the value of the cognitions and the ratio of cognitions (Festinger, 1957). The former consists of the personal importance or value that the individual places on the opposing cognitions, resulting in either a minor or major dissonance. The latter consists of the proportion of the degre...
In 1951, Solomon Asch carried out several experiments on conformity. The aim of these studies was to investigate conformity in a group environment situation. The purpose of these experiments was to see if an individual would be swayed by public pressure to go along with the incorrect answer. Asch believed that conformity reflects on relatively rational process in which people are pressured to change their behaviour. Asch designed experiments to measure the pressure of a group situation upon an individual judgment. Asch wanted to prove that conformity can really play a big role in disbelieving our own senses.
For this week's discussion the theory that resonated with me the most is the Cognitive Behavioral Theory with Dr. Krumboltz. I have always been drawn to the CBT, as I feel that an individual's negative or destructive behaviors can be changed for the better with the right intervention, client understanding, acceptance and awareness of their role in their behavior. Dr. Krumboltz terms this as a learning approach (01:35). The video displays Dr. Krumboltz and his client Robin discussing the issues Robin is experiencing with her mother-in-law, as well as the impact those issues at times have on her marriage.