Cognitive dissonance describes the psychological tension that arises when a person holds two or more incongruous beliefs, attitudes, or personal values at the same time. This mental discord creates discomfort that can show up as guilt, anxiety, or frustration. In 2025, understanding this conflict feels more relevant than ever as social media, political divides, and constant information flow make it harder to maintain consistent beliefs and actions. The concept of cognitive dissonance has broad implications, influencing various fields such as education, social psychology, and behavioral research. It highlights the intricate relationship between attitudes and behaviors, emphasizing how people strive for internal consistency and how they manage the discomfort that arises from contradictions in their beliefs and actions.
Does cognitive dissonance explain the link between attitudes and behaviors?
For instance, a person who learns about the harmful effects of a behavior they engage in may downplay the significance of this information to reduce dissonance. Someone who has set a strict budget may experience mental discomfort when making unnecessary purchases. This conflict between their financial discipline and spending habits often leads to rationalizations to justify their behavior.
Psychology Resources
They discovered that when people rely on normative standards to evaluate their behavior, self-esteem does not play a role; when people rely on personal standards, however, self-esteem does matter. Although self-esteem plays a role when people rely on personal standards, Cooper (2007) concludes that individuals are more likely to use normative ones. This concept describes the alignment of a person’s core beliefs and values, as opposed to cognitive dissonance, which describes the conflict between values and beliefs. As you continue your research journey, whether it’s for a particular project or to gain deeper insights into your business landscape, embrace the theory of cognitive dissonance. Harness this profound understanding of decision-making to elevate your results.
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- If the person changes the current attitude, after the dissonance occurs, they are then obligated to commit to that course of behavior.
- Cognitive consonance – when your actions or behaviors agree with your values or beliefs.
- By understanding the psychology of cognitive dissonance, you can find ways to reduce it.
- In his study of rumor belief, Festinger (1957) concluded that people always strive for an internal balance between personal motives that determine their behavior and information received from outside.
- Festinger’s book, “A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance,” published in 1957, outlined the theory’s foundations.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory, however, cannot predict how people will choose to reduce their psychological discomfort when challenged. Attempts to sway people to a different opinion or behavior can sometimes backfire by reinforcing an undesirable attitude. While at an alcohol safety orientation, he learns that intoxicated drivers are less likely to sustain serious injuries in traffic accidents because their bodies remain relaxed. The student might use this information to conclude that his irresponsible behavior affords him some small degree of safety, disregarding the fact that his odds of being involved in a car crash are much greater than the average person’s.
What is cognitive dissonance theory?
However, despite its popularity, this scale seems to present several flaws. The scale indexes have presented an insufficient homogeneity several times (Harmon-Jones, 2000a; Priolo et al., 2016), and their inter-correlations fluctuate (Elliot & Devine, 1994; Galinsky et al., 2000; Matz & Wood 2005). Sometimes the cognitive dissonance induction has no significant effect on the identified discomfort index https://www.pestacahaya.com/alcohol-and-older-adults-ages-65-national/ but affects the negative-self index (Gosling et al., 2006).
- Rationalization involves creating explanations or excuses to make conflicting behavior or beliefs seem acceptable.
- It can also further strain your relationships with others, especially if you’re having cognitive dissonance related to what someone else is saying or doing.
- Similarly, engaging in harmful behaviors, such as smoking, and later learning about their negative effects can lead to cognitive dissonance as new information conflicts with existing beliefs.
Festinger’s Theory
Motivated by this tension, he actively seeks the truth, pushing past the boundaries of his controlled environment. Eleven is a young girl with extraordinary psychic powers, but she also feels vulnerable and isolated because of her traumatic experiences in a secret government lab. For example, if you act in a way that doesn’t match what you believe is right, you might feel guilt or emotional discomfort. While less committed members were more likely to admit they had been mistaken and simply “learned from the experience,” the most devoted members tended to reinterpret the outcome to fit their beliefs. It’s hard to argue that a cigarette can do anything good for one’s health.
They may alter their behavior in the short term, but as soon as the coercion is gone, the original behavior will reemerge. It’s like the person who drives more slowly when a police officer is nearby but ignores speed limits once officers are no longer present. As a speaker, if you want to increase cognitive dissonance, you need to make sure that your audience doesn’t feel coerced or manipulated, but rather that they can clearly see that they have a choice of Drug rehabilitation whether to be persuaded.
This research suggests that behavior inconsistent with one’s beliefs—if there is insufficient justification for the behaviour—will often bring about modification of those beliefs. Suppose, for example, that a person is required to undergo a stressful initiation in order to join a select group. After undergoing this initiation the person discovers that becoming a member of the group does not provide the satisfaction originally expected. Such an outcome should produce cognitive dissonance because the behaviours required and the current belief about the group cognitive dissonance and addiction are inconsistent. As a result, the theory suggests that motivation will be triggered to bring the dissonant elements back into a consistent relationship.
The mild initiation group did not invest as much to listen to the discussion, so when they found it to be boring they did not feel cheated. Dissonance as a result of inconsistencies of attitudes and behavior occurs when there are discrepancies between what we believe and what we do. Cognitive dissonance creates an underlying psychological tension that motivates a person to make a behavioral or value-based change to avoid the tension. One of the most challenging methods to resolve cognitive dissonance involves altering deep-seated beliefs. By successfully reshaping someone’s perspective on their core convictions, the dissonance can be effectively eliminated. Cognitive dissonance isn’t limited to customers; it can also impact employees.
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. What does this inconsistency-related discomfort look like in everyday life? The thing is, you’re probably not going to experience and think, “This is cognitive dissonance.” Your going to feel uncomfortable, but you’re going to experience it more as guilt, shame, or regret. You can recognize cognitive dissonance in your life when you notice feelings of unease, stress, or anxiety after doing something that conflicts with your beliefs or values. Festinger’s cognitive dissonance theory says we want our attitudes and actions to match and feel comfortable inside.
