Content
Signs of cognitive dissonance can include anxiety and general discomfort. One may also feel an urge to acquire additional beliefs to help rationalize one’s actions despite the action not matching one’s values. In fact, recent research has suggested that while a discrepancy between cognitions drives individuals to crave attitude-consistent information, the experience of negative emotions drives individuals to avoid counter attitudinal information.
Dr. Maike Neuhaus is an energetic and future-oriented Positive Psychology Coach and behavior change expert, passionate about empowering others to live a happy and purpose-driven life in line with their true potential. This book includes examples of cognitive dissonance in today’s world. Coping mechanisms can include justifying their behavior , trivializing cognitive dissonance theory their behavior or the importance of it, attempting to change their behavior, or changing our own behavior. Enhance wellbeing with these free, science-based exercises that draw on the latest insights from positive psychology. Since cognitive dissonance often naturally occurs after a decision such as a purchase, this is what questionnaires have focused on.
Cognitive dissonance: What to know
This would cause mental discomfort because there is cognitive dissonance. Harmon-Jones et al. suggest an action-based model to extend the original theory of CD to respond to the question of why cognitive inconsistency causes both the psychological state of dissonance and the motivation for dissonance reduction. Any prediction errors inhibiting successful (and low-cost) behavior in such a world should stand corrected. To illustrate this, imagine Festinger (1957, p. 19) picnicker from Section “Dissonance in a Nutshell” once more . One could take this even further, and notice a new dissonant relation between “I dislike and avoid rain” and the recognition that “Rain is vital,” or the fact that humans and nature need rain to survive.
Or you may spend a huge sum of money on an item you thought was great only to find out its actually trash. An important point to note is that none of the above strategies https://ecosoberhouse.com/ is guaranteed to reduce or eliminate dissonance. However, Festinger was convinced that once dissonance exists, there would be attempts to reduce it.
Dissonance as a Result of Inconsistencies of Attitude and Behavior
People attempt to end their feeling of cognitive dissonance by changing their beliefs and perceptions or their actions. Cognitive dissonance is everywhere, and we all experience some form of cognitive dissonance once in a while. Cognitive dissonance isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it enables us to adjust our opinions and beliefs according to lived experiences. Knowing how to spot the signs of cognitive dissonance can help us deal with the mental discomfort caused by our internal conflicts in a healthier way. The first step to resolving your cognitive dissonance is determining its cause.
Ways to reduce cognitive dissonance include denial, reducing the appearance of choice, trivializing the behavior, or change of attitude. The greatest amount of attitude change is when there is complete freedom of choice. It has been suggested that dissonance processes partially account for the effectiveness of psychotherapy. In most cases, individuals freely choose the form of therapy to engage in, and then expend much effort, time and money to achieve therapeutic goals. These factors likely arouse dissonance, which the client can alleviate by increasing the attractiveness of therapy in their minds. This enhanced view of therapy then motivates the individual to be successful.
