Cognitive Dissonance Theory Essay - 1027 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The theory of Cognitive Dissonance states that when individuals are presented with information that implies we act in a way that contradicts our moral standards, we experience discomfort (Aronson, Wilson, and Akert, 1998, P. 191). This is considered Cognitive Dissonance, A psychological term used to describe mental conflict that occurs when beliefs or assumptions are contradicted by new information; arouses unease or tension; relieved by one of several defensive maneuvers: rejecting, explaining away, or avoiding new information; persuading self that no conflict really exists; reconciling differences; or resorting to any other defensive means of preserving stability or order in conception of world and of†¦show more content†¦Leon Festinger and James Carlsmith also tested his theory in 1959. They put all the participants through a dull task. The task consisted in placing a large number of spools on pegs on a board, turn each spool a quarter turn, take the spool off the pegs and then put them back on. The subject’s attitudes toward this task were negative. The participants were then asked to lie about the task to another person. This person was actually an assistant in the study. The lie was to try to convince the assistant that the task was actually interesting and fun. The participants were either given one dollar or twenty dollars for lying about the task. The experimenters found that those who lied and received the one-dollar experienced the greatest dissonance, and they were more motivated to seek cognitive constancy than the participants who received twenty dollars. Those who received the one-dollar reported to have enjoyed the task more than those who received the twenty dollars. There was an inconsistency between the attitudes of the participants and the behavior. The participants who received twenty dollars just wanted the money. The larger amount of money provided external justification for the behavior. There was no dissonance, and the participants did not need to change their attitudes. For the subjects who received only one dollar there was less external justification, and more dissonance. They reduced their dissonance by changing their attitudes toward the task. TheShow MoreRelatedCognitive Dissonance Theory1621 Words   |  7 Pagescreated the cognitive dissonance theory as an attempt to explain why people desire to have consistency between their behaviors and actions. Cognitive dissonance is the distressing mental state people feel when they find themselves doing things that don’t fit with what they know, or having opinions that do not fit with other opinions they hold (Festinger, 1957; as cited in Griffin, 2009). Thus, people are motivated to change either their behavior or their belief when feelings of dissonance arise. Read MoreCognitive Dissonance Theory Paper1375 Words   |  6 PagesCognitive Dissonance Theory Paper 1 Cognitive Dissonance Theory Paper Psy 400 Axia Online Cognitive Dissonance Theory Paper 2 Introduction The cognitive dissonance theory has many possible scenarios and examples chosen throughout life. The theory will be either enhanced or decreased depending on a number of factors such as the person’s moral values, social upbringing, and social status at work, religiousRead MoreCognitive Dissonance Theory - Applications2122 Words   |  9 PagesCONTENTS 1. Introduction 1.1. What is Cognitive Dissonance? 1.2. Cognitive Dissonance Phenomena 1.3. Ways to address Cognitive Dissonance 1.4. Significance 2. Project Statement 3. Methodology 3.1. Sample 3.2. Material 3.3. Procedure 4. Results 5. Conclusion 6. References 1. Introduction 1.1. What is Cognitive Dissonance? The cognitive dissonance theory was proposed by a famous psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950’s. The theory states that if a person holds two inconsistentRead More Cognitive Dissonance Theory Essay3265 Words   |  14 PagesCognitive Dissonance Theory Leon Festinger shared his brilliance with the world when he, opposing all previous psychological behaviorist work, created the Cognitive Dissonance Theory. In his own words, he quickly sums up this quite complex theory: If you change a person’s behavior, his thoughts and feelings will change to minimize the dissonance (Groenveld, 1999, p.1). In order to decode this dense statement, we must first be aware that Festinger held to be true that humans have a deep abidingRead MoreThe Theory of Cognitive Dissonance Essay example877 Words   |  4 Pages The theory of cognitive dissonance started as a very simple observation by Leon Festinger that people do not like to deal with inconsistency. This simple observation led to the development of a theory that became very controversial, and it would be this controversy that propelled the theory forward. Many years of research has led to many different ideas of what cognitive dissonance really is and why it actually occurs. Festinger developed the term cognitions while developing his theory on cognitiveRead More The Validity of Cognitive Dissonance Theory Essay2607 Words   |  11 PagesDescription of Theory The term dissonance refers to when one cognitive element is inconsistent with another cognitive element according to the lecture notes of Professor Soreno. Cognitive elements can be categorized in four groups called beliefs, attitudes, values, and perceptions of behavior. Beliefs can be defined as a perception that something exists or not. This perception can range from a central or peripheral type of belief. The more central a belief is, the harder it is to change that beliefRead MoreLeon Festingers Theory Of Cognitive Dissonance1500 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will evaluate the presentation of Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance in the world of social psychology. Throughout I will discuss the establishment of his theory, it’s supporting evidence and any limitations of this. I will also deliberate what it can explain and the alternative explanations presented by other psychologists; how they differ from Festinger’s, how they add to Festingerâ₠¬â„¢s original theory and finally how they extend the knowledge in understanding the interactionRead MoreAn Examination of Festingers Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Notable Modifications2030 Words   |  9 PagesFestingers Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Notable Modifications Sometimes the greatest test of a theory is its longevity. Over time, some theories will be disproved, some will be modified, and some will become the basis for a whole new group of theories. Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance has stood up to challenge for over forty years, and is considered by many to be the single most important theory of social psychology. Though there have been modifications to the theory afterRead MoreThe Cognitive Dissonance Theory ( Cdt ) Essay2141 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction This paper applies the principles of the cognitive dissonance theory (CDT) to the potential racial motivations of homegrown terrorists. Generally, the CDT rests on the premise that in a situation where one is faced with conflicting attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors, there is a need to restore harmony, with his or her pre-existing thoughts and ideas. In addition, this need for harmony can give rise to irrational and sometimes maladaptive behaviors in order to reinstate that balance (McleodRead MoreLeon Festinger s Theory Of Cognitive Dissonance1855 Words   |  8 PagesLeon Festinger s theory of cognitive dissonance (1957) sets its meaning on the theory that behavior does not support the attitude or vice versa. At many times individuals see themselves experiencing this phenomenon, so in order to reduce this dissonance, either the attitude or the behavior needs to be altered or changed. A perfect example would have to be when a white person says that black and whites are all the same y et he/she would not want to live in a neighborhood with the majority of the population