In the same vein, Cooper 2019 proposes the author’s personal view of this story, focusing on his own theoretical achievements. Gawronski and Strack 2012 offers an overview of the cognitive consistency field. More aimed at advanced researchers in cognitive dissonance, Harmon-Jones 2019 (the second edition of Harmon-Jones and Mills 1999) cognitive dissonance theory is an edited volume that synthesizes modern perspectives on dissonance. That’s why we often respond to cognitive dissonance by doing mental gymnastics to feel like things make sense again. Sometimes, new information leads to cognitive dissonance, but that also allows you to take new actions you may not have thought about taking before.
How does cognitive dissonance encourage behavioral change?
As a result she might start to feel grateful for and happy about those nights in, rather than beating herself up for being “lazy” or not sociable enough. Shifting either your belief or your behavior will help you find balance and reduce the tension, Leikam says. “Something has to give — either the belief system or the action,” Johnson says. Why is it important to think about how cognitive dissonance relates to your own health and wellness?
Take action
Self-concepts may be more or less elaborate, resulting in respectively more stable and moderate or volatile and extreme self-evaluations (Linville’s complexity–extremity theory). To be independent thinkers, we need information from reputable sources, and the right to choose those sources for ourselves. Mind control groups systematically indoctrinate members to distrust critics, former members, and all and any negative media reports. Some groups tell members to avoid newspapers, books, articles, TV, radio and any academic, science-based information. In addition, some leaders keep believers so busy they have no time to think or check anything, let alone make outside relationships through which they might gather information about the world.
- The more good options you have or the more alike the options are, the more cognitive dissonance you’ll experience.
- Finally, many of the studies supporting the theory of cognitive dissonance have low ecological validity.
- Imagine confronting a sunbather with the information that excessive sun exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer.
How Cognitive Dissonance Affects Behavior
Finally, many of the studies supporting the theory of cognitive dissonance have low ecological validity. For example, turning pegs (as in Festinger’s experiment) is an artificial task that doesn’t happen in everyday life. Notice that dissonance theory does not state that these modes of dissonance reduction will actually work, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ only that individuals who are in a state of cognitive dissonance will take steps to reduce the extent of their dissonance. Sometimes, resolving cognitive dissonance is just a matter of changing your perspective on something or developing new patterns of thinking to help you live according to what’s most important to you.
- In this case, individuals who face such a decision are conflicted because not all beliefs are consistent with the decision.
- A review has summarised and classified those strategies into seven categories (McGrath, 2017).
- Festinger, [2–4] in his ground-breaking Cognitive Dissonance Theory described how beliefs have a cognitive, an affective, and a behavioral component.
- It explains a lot of common human tendencies, such as rationalization, justification, and why we shift our beliefs over time.
- If listeners feel they are being coerced into doing something, then dissonance will not be aroused.
Eating meat
Festinger and Carlsmith (1959) investigated if making people perform a dull task would create cognitive dissonance through forced compliance behavior. When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors (dissonance), something must change to eliminate the dissonance. In fact, it can prompt you to make positive changes when you realize your beliefs and actions are at odds. When you discover new information and you’re faced with the uncomfortable decision to … well, make decisions, embrace a positive outlook. Sometimes, when you’re faced with difficult decisions in the moment, it’s best to take a break and revisit it later when all parties have processed what’s happened. This is especially true if you’re caught up in a toxic work environment.
Theories of Understanding: Gestalt and Cognitive Theories
- When our friends or partners act contrary to our beliefs and values, we perceive dissonance.
- Some groups tell members to avoid newspapers, books, articles, TV, radio and any academic, science-based information.
- Cognitive dissonance can impact actions and decision-making at various levels of engagement.