Cognitive Dissonance Introduction to Psychology

They sought support from like-minded people and mentally disconnected from the negative situation to reduce the negative emotions. A person who frequently consumes fast food learns that it is a leading cause of heart disease. Experiencing discomfort from the inconsistency between their behavior and knowledge, they resolve the dissonance by either changing their behavior (reducing fast food intake) or justifying it (convincing themselves that occasional indulgence isn’t harmful). This theory explains how individuals strive to reduce psychological discomfort by aligning their actions with their beliefs. People’s core social motive to hold a coherent, socially shared understanding has inspired theories that account for various social cognitive processes. Gestalt theories in social psychology emphasize harmonious fit among elements that constitute a coherent whole, hence their influence on consistency theories of attitudes and on schema theories of social perception (see Sect. 3.1).

• If John keeps thinking about how miserable he is, it is going to be a very long four years.
• However, Festinger’s Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Festinger, 1957) states that if one does something that contradicts this cognitive state, it will cause a dissonance, meaning a state of tension or arousal.
• Dissonance-based interventions (DBIs) were developed based on Festinger’s well-known cognitive dissonance theory.
• Two cognitions are said to stand in a dissonant or conflictual relationship when one psychologically does not fit the other, as is the case when a person eats meat yet does not want to harm animals.
• When faced with two similar choices, we are often left with feelings of dissonance because both options are equally appealing.

Cognitive Dissonance and the Discomfort of Holding Conflicting Beliefs

After researching diet plans, they move to the preparation stage by setting small goals. In the action stage, they begin exercising regularly and eating healthier foods. Eventually, they reach the maintenance stage, where they continue their healthy habits long-term to prevent relapse. Two social psychologists, Elliot Aronson and Judson Mills, tested the logic of effort justification in an experiment in which they had students undergo a screening test to join a group that was discussing the topic of sex.

• However, if a person finds that they have difficulty stopping a behavior or thinking pattern that is causing them distress, they can seek support from a qualified healthcare professional, such as a primary care doctor or therapist.
• The strong initiation subjects convinced themselves that the discussion was more interesting than it actually was to make their effort to feel worthwhile.
• This can prompt people to adopt certain defense mechanisms when they have to confront it.
• Theoretically, dissonance may contribute to a variety of changes in behavior or beliefs.

Control of: behavior, information, thought, emotion

Prevention programs based on cognitive dissonance and the use of the Internet have been widely and successfully implemented among female college models, but their use has not yet filtered down to the school setting. Cognitive Dissonance Theory has generally been used with at-risk women, and outside of the school setting. This approach intersects nicely with models of interactive and student-centered learning as well as fitting with the principles of developing media literacy, making it a good fit for the school setting. Following E. Aronson’s (1968) proposal, Steele’s (1988) self-affirmation theory was among the first to emphasize the importance of self-worth in the experience of cognitive dissonance. Steele’s theory, which has received compelling support, has important implications for understanding the underlying causal mechanisms and phenomenology of OCD, which will be discussed in the next section.

Behavior Research Methods

This theory explains how intentions, shaped by internal and external factors, are strong predictors of behavior change. Sometimes, the ways that people resolve cognitive dissonance contribute to unhealthy behaviors cognitive dissonance and addiction or poor decisions. When there are conflicts between cognitions (thoughts, beliefs, and opinions), people will take steps to reduce the dissonance and feelings of discomfort. Because people want to avoid discomfort, cognitive dissonance can have a wide range of effects. We may engage in behaviors or adopt attitudes to help relieve the discomfort caused by the conflict.

Reducing the Importance of the Conflicting Belief

For example, not ordering food at the restaurant would follow from the obverse or opposite of being hungry. But I was not full, and thus the decision to refrain from eating would follow from the obverse of my knowledge that I was hungry. We prefer consistency to inconsistency and work hard to maintain (or restore) consistency among our cognitions. Failing to order food to allay my hunger at the restaurant, I may convince myself that I was not really that hungry, or that the restaurant’s food was bad. In this way, the inconsistency between my knowledge of my hunger and the decision not to purchase food would seem more consistent. In many ways, the need to restore consistency is similar to the familiar concept of rationalization— indeed, rationalization is one way to deal with the dilemma posed by inconsistent cognitions.

Theoretically, dissonance may contribute to a variety of changes in behavior or beliefs. Rather than trying to reduce dissonance after it occurs, we may attempt to avoid dissonance through selective exposure. In other words, consumers select attitude-consistent information and avoid attitude-challenging information.

How Cognitive Dissonance Feels

• From there, a unitary, discipline-straddling account of inconsistency compensation can uncover the true boundaries of this phenomenon, as well as compensation behaviors that have yet to find a disciplinary label.
• Before that, the relationship between human attitudes and behaviours was understood as a complex process that involved motivational, emotional, affective and perceptual factors (Krech, 2019; Rosenberg, 1966).
• Lastly, the person could focus on the benefits of smoking as an important part of his or her life (Mills & Harmon-Jones, 1999).
• People who experience dissonance but have no way to resolve it may also feel powerless or guilty.

Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort a person feels when their behavior does not align with their values or beliefs. While social approval (A) and observing others (D) can indirectly influence behavior through subjective norms, the intention to act remains the strongest predictor in this theory. Availability of resources (C) is related to perceived behavioral control but does not directly predict behavior on its own. Changing the conflicting cognition is one of the most effective ways of dealing with dissonance but it is also one of the most difficult—particularly in the case of deeply held values and beliefs, such as religious or political leanings. Cognitive dissonance can even influence how people feel about and view themselves, leading to negative feelings of self-esteem and self-worth.

Deliberative versus implemental mindsets in the control of action

Critical skills can be over-ridden through repetition, fixation or constant mimicry, or through techniques that induce euphoria. Eyes-closed visualizations and “guided meditation” techniques can heighten suggestibility, making it easier to insert thoughts and beliefs into members. To be independent thinkers, we need information from reputable sources, and the right to choose those sources for ourselves.

This can prompt people to adopt certain defense mechanisms when they have to confront it. To deal with the feelings of discomfort then, they might find some way of rationalizing the conflicting cognition. For instance, they may justify their sedentary behavior by saying that their other healthy behaviors—like eating sensibly and occasionally exercising—make up for their largely sedentary lifestyle. The inconsistency between what people believe and how they behave motivates them to engage in actions that will help minimize feelings of discomfort. People attempt to relieve this tension in different ways, such as by rejecting, explaining away, or avoiding new information. In individuals with a preference for social hierarchies, dehumanisation by ridding animals of mind and, therefore, moral worth 29 allows their conception as an out-group and subsequent exploitation 6.

A Biosocial Model of Affective Decision Making

Cialdini (1993) calls this the “foot-in-the-door” technique of behavioral compliance. The effects may relate to the discomfort of the dissonance itself or the defense mechanisms a person adopts to deal with it. The Action stage (C) specifically refers to the phase where a person implements new behaviors, such as quitting smoking or starting a workout routine. Precontemplation (A) and Contemplation (B) involve earlier phases of consideration, and Maintenance (D) refers to long-term sustainability of the change. By using these types of explanations, the smoker is able to reduce the dissonance and continue the unhealthy behavior. When faced with two similar choices, we are often left with feelings of dissonance because both options are equally appealing.