Lastly, the discrepancy reduction phase related to dissonance reduction mechanisms. The concept of dissonance is predominantly related to the post-decision cognitive dissonance addiction or post-purchase situation (Oliver, 2009). Negative emotion was another concept that has been closely invested with cognitive dissonance.
Changing Behavior
We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions. One of the simplest ways to address dissonance is to change one’s behavior. For example, Festinger explains that a smoker might cope with the discrepancy between their knowledge (that smoking is bad) and their behavior (that they smoke) by quitting. According to Festinger, we can work to reduce the dissonance we feel in several different ways. Another person (who appeared to not be part of the original study) then asked participants to report on how interesting the study actually was. Cognitive dissonance theory itself suggests that if patients are investing time, money, and emotional effort in the therapy, they will be likely to work hard to reach their therapeutic goals in order to justify their efforts.
The psychology of mental stress
Cognitive dissonance was measured indirectly by asking participants about changes in their opinion about how enjoyable the task was following the experiment. This can be a difficult and uncomfortable process and involves getting additional information. In fact, it is a psychological mechanism that helps us perceive our world (and our place in it) consistently.
Harmonizing with reinforced beliefs
Guilt, fear and aversion or disgust [12] are the three most frequently used emotional control techniques. The most important criterion of behavior control is the demand for dependency and obedience to the group, its ideology, and its leadership. For a “total convert” [9] the group’s dogma determines every aspect of behavior; there is no personal choice involved. Freedom of movement is often limited, and permission demanded before any visit to a non-member. Individualism is discouraged and putting “God” or the group first is the norm (in this case, “God” often proves to be the leader).
- For a “total convert” [9] the group’s dogma determines every aspect of behavior; there is no personal choice involved.
- Participants in the control group were simply given one of the products.
- Do people from non-Western cultures experience cognitive dissonance as well?
- What I am doing is really important.” If this is his belief, he will realize that he is becoming stronger through his challenges.
- Social Influence Model [18] was created to analyze any relationship between the influencer and the influencee where predatory or undue influence takes place.
- “It depends on the immediacy of the situation and whether or not there’s any way to resolve it, but sometimes, new information can lead to action,” says Dr. Prewitt.
Relations among cognitions
That is, there is mental discord related to a contradiction between one thought (in this case, knowing he did something wrong) and another (thinking that he is honest). Cognitive dissonance is a term for the state of discomfort felt when two or more modes of thought contradict each other. The clashing cognitions may include ideas, beliefs, or the knowledge that one has behaved in a certain way. Some individuals hold power by virtue of expertise or information (French and Raven), evoking internalization (privately held beliefs; Kelman) in those they influence.
Festinger realized that we are made uneasy if we our sense of consistency or congruency is challenged. The BITE model uses these three components — cognitive, affective and behavioral — and adds information a fourth and overlapping component. In ethical therapy, the client is always encouraged to develop an internal locus of control within their authentic — or autonomous — personality.
- First, the person could remove the dissonant cognition by either changing his behaviour (stop smoking) or knowledge (believe that smoking is actually not bad for health).
- In other words, it is the psychological discomfort that activates selective exposure as a dissonance-reduction strategy.
- An ethical group will tell a newcomer upfront who they are, what they believe and what is expected of a member.
- The literature that is based on cognitive dissonance theory has broadly covered four phases of the process, namely, cognitive discrepancy, dissonance, motivation and discrepancy reduction (Hinojosa et al., 2017).
- For example, maybe you’re deciding between two restaurants for dinner on Friday night.
- The person may make a commitment to engage in the campaigning despite having previously not liked the candidate that much.
This model proposed that the psychological stress was caused by the feeling of being self-responsible for inducing aversive consequences, rather than the inconsistency in cognitive elements. Heider’s balance theory posits that perceivers prefer similarly evaluated people and things also to belong together. Most prominently, Festinger’scognitive dissonance theory holds that people seek consistency among the cognitions relevant to their attitudes, including their cognitions about their own behavior.
- In addition, research that did not involve an elaboration likelihood explanation has been reinterpreted as revealing the role of this process.
- Some of these changes can be positive, such as shifting problematic beliefs or harmful habits.
- Consequently, participants in this group ended up reducing the dissonance they felt another way—by reporting that the study had indeed been interesting.
- This offers opportunities to discuss the discrepancies, deepen the relationship, and re-align values.
- Although the concepts of harmony and conflict were not new and had been proposed earlier by Heider (Heider, 1946), Cognitive Dissonance theory made a major contribution to the concept of consistency (Cooper, 2007).
- By successfully reshaping someone’s perspective on their core convictions, the dissonance can be effectively eliminated.
Does cognitive dissonance explain the link between attitudes and behaviors?
For example, people who hold strong beliefs about the detrimental impact of gas-powered cars on the environment might find it more comfortable to switch to a hybrid or electric vehicle. However, this shift requires convincing them to consider greenhouse gasses and emissions as significant issues worthy of attention. Customers may experience discomfort if they perceive a gap between their expectations and the actual product or service received. Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy.