They further presupposed that participants would be driven to reduce the dissonance by justifying their behavior. Since participants in the $20 condition had a more substantial justification (higher pay) already, they were further assumed to perceive less dissonance than those in the $1 condition. Dissonance can also be experienced vicariously through people of a social group that we identify with. When they act inconsistently with their attitude, we feel the same discomfort as if we had acted inconsistently with our attitude ourselves (Cooper, 2016). If one partner lies and then rationalizes the lie, the erosion of trust can damage the intimate connection between the partners.
- Doing some soul searching to determine the areas of your life where contradiction exists can shed light on areas you may need to work on.
- We may engage in behaviors or adopt attitudes to help relieve the discomfort caused by the conflict.
- By reducing its weight, the discomfort stemming from the dissonance is lessened.
- Festinger’s (1957) cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and behavior in harmony and avoid disharmony (or dissonance).
- For example, people may feel cognitive dissonance if they enjoy drinking alcohol, despite knowing too much may be bad for their health.
- Say you’re a student looking to choose between two different universities you’d like to attend.
How Attitude Change Takes Place
So even if the university we didn’t choose was rated higher initially, our choice dictates that more often than not, we’ll rate it higher. Otherwise it wouldn’t make sense why we would choose the lower-rated school. According to Festinger, we can work to reduce the dissonance we feel in several different ways. By sharing this journey cognitive dissonance and addiction of cognitive dissonance, I am not minimizing the innocent bloodshed of the Palestinians who have lost their lives in the crossfire from what has been occurring in the aftermath of October 7, 2023. On the tragic day of October 7, 2023, I woke up to the horrifying news of the atrocities committed by the terrorist group Hamas in Israel.
What is the difference between cognitive dissonance theory and balance theory?
- Learn to bridge the gap between values and actions to combat cognitive dissonance.
- To live an authentic life, you need to be able to recognize when you’re compensating for incongruence.
- This became known as the “free-choice paradigm.” If the items were basically equal, people would begin to invent “advantages” for the one they chose.
- By second-guessing ourselves, we suggest we may not be as wise or as right as we’ve led ourselves to believe.
Sometimes, new information leads to cognitive dissonance, but that also allows you to take new actions you may not have thought about taking before. 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. 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. Cognitive dissonance can feel a lot like anxiety and stress — and they often come paired together.
What is cognitive dissonance theory?
This became known as the “free-choice paradigm.” If the items were basically equal, people would begin to invent “advantages” for the one they chose. Cognitive dissonance is the psychological tension we feel as we try to reckon with two (or more) opposing pieces of information. We generally try to eliminate this dissonance by taking a new, consonant action or by dismissing the incongruent information. Learning what cognitive dissonance is, why it’s so powerful, and how to manage it can put you back in the driver’s seat. Compare the 8 most research-backed types of therapy to find the best option for you based on your reason for seeking support, learning style, and goals… Here’s a closer look at the types of therapy and their benefits for mental health.
Participants were also told that they would receive one of the products at the end of the experiment to compensate for their time and effort. When the participants were asked to evaluate the experiment, the participants who were paid only $1 rated the tedious task as more fun and enjoyable than the participants who were paid $20 to lie. For example, when people smoke (behavior) and they know that smoking causes cancer (cognition), they are in a state of cognitive dissonance.
The degree of dissonance experienced can depend on a few different factors. Among them are how highly a particular belief is valued and the degree to which the beliefs are inconsistent. Cognitive dissonance can be caused by feeling forced to do something, learning new information, or https://ecosoberhouse.com/ when faced with a decision between two similar choices. 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.