What Is Cognitive Dissonance? Definition and Examples

The subjects whose strong initiation required reading aloud obscene words evaluated the discussion as more-interesting than the subjects of the mild initiation group. The reading of obscene sexual words to be initiated to https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the discussion involved a greater investment by the subjects than reading non-obscene words. Listening to a dull discussion was not worth the embarrassment of reading the obscene words, resulting in cognitive dissonance.

When our friends or partners act contrary to our beliefs and values, we perceive dissonance. Discrepancy between an attitude and a behavior – eating a doughnut while thinking of reducing calorie intake – leads to psychological discomfort called cognitive dissonance (Harmon-Jones, 2019). Cognitive dissonance creates an underlying psychological tension that motivates a person to make a behavioral or value-based change to avoid the tension.

Harmonizing with reinforced beliefs

This will help to reduce the amount of cognitive dissonance employees experience between their personal values and those promoted by the company, boosting morale and productivity. When facing a decision between two similar options, for example, you feel dissonance because both are equally appealing. After you’ve made your selection, your mind seeks to reinforce your decision as the right one, to reduce feelings of discomfort. We human beings naturally seek harmony between our thoughts, values, and actions. Cognitive dissonance theory explains the mental unease and emotional discomfort that arise when this harmony is disrupted, leading us to strive for internal consistency and alignment. In this type of situation, people can change their beliefs, their attitudes, or their behaviors.

Unknown to the subjects, this new subject was actually a confederate (an actor) and part of the research team. The subjects were directed to persuade the confederate that the tedious tasks were cognitive dissonance and addiction interesting and engaging. Subjects of one group were paid twenty dollars ($20) for their participation. The third group, the control group, was not asked to speak with the confederate.

cognitive dissonance

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. People tend to seek consistency in their attitudes and perceptions, so this conflict causes unpleasant feelings of unease or discomfort. Yes, cognitive dissonance describes the link between a person’s attitude and behavior when they don’t align with each other.

When constructing a self-report questionnaire, Elliot and Devine (1994) used only three items to assess the nature of CDS (uncomfortable, bothered, uneasy), excluding many other items, such as guilt. They emphasized afterwards that different affect assessments could capture the nature of cognitive dissonance depending on the situation (Devine et al., 1999). In another perspective, Kenworthy et al. (2011) have suggested that guilt could be the most relevant predictor of dissonance effects instead of a specific CDS, thus making a clear distinction between the two. For their part, Gosling et al. (2006) used the Elliot and Devine’s scale but relied on negative-self oriented affect to assess dissonance instead of their dissonance specific index. While these different views co-exist in the literature, there has not been a clear debate yet on the nature and the specificity of the CDS.

Grammar Terms You Used to Know, But Forgot

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. By Kendra Cherry, MSEd

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the “Everything Psychology Book.” Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the “Everything Psychology Book.”

Study participants who complete an uninteresting task have been found to rate the task as more enjoyable if they were first asked to tell someone else it was enjoyable—an effect attributed to cognitive dissonance. Theoretically, dissonance may contribute to a variety of changes in behavior or beliefs. Though a person may not always resolve cognitive dissonance, the response to it may range from ignoring the source of it to changing one’s beliefs or behavior to eliminate the conflict. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people are averse to inconsistencies within their own minds. It offers one explanation for why people sometimes make an effort to adjust their thinking when their own thoughts, words, or behaviors seem to clash with each other.

Standardization of the Induction Task

If John keeps thinking about how miserable he is, it is going to be a very long four years. What I am doing is really important.” If this is his belief, he will realize that he is becoming stronger through his challenges. He then will feel better and not experience cognitive dissonance, which is an uncomfortable state. Other scholars believe that Cognitive Dissonance Theory is basically useful and explanatory but needs some refinements.