Question

Give an example (one not used in class or your text) of cognitive dissonance and how an individual might resolve this.

Short answer

Cognitive dissonance can be exemplified with a scenario where a conscientious health advocate, who is also a regular smoker, experiences discomfort due to the conflict between their health-dependent values and their damaging habit. This dissonance can be resolved by changing the conflicting behavior (quitting smoking), altering the importance of the dissonant belief ('smoking doesn't significantly affect health'), or adding more consonant beliefs to outweigh the dissonant ones (intensifying exercise regime to compensate for smoking).

Step-by-step solution

Understand Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological theory proposed by Leon Festinger in 1957, which suggests that people have an inner drive to hold all their attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony or dissonance. This discomfort motivates people to change their attitudes, beliefs, or actions to reduce the dissonance and restore balance.

Identify an Example

Let's take the example of a person who knows smoking is harmful and prides themselves on living a healthy lifestyle, but is also a regular smoker. This is an example of cognitive dissonance because the person's behavior (smoking) is in direct contradiction with their attitudes and beliefs (living a healthy lifestyle and acknowledging the harm of smoking).

Resolve the Dissonance

The individual could resolve this cognitive dissonance in several ways. They may quit smoking to align their behavior with their beliefs about living a healthy lifestyle. Alternatively, they might minimize the importance of the dissonance by convincing themselves that smoking doesn't significantly affect their health, maybe by thinking 'my grandfather smoked his entire life and lived till 90.' Or, they might add more consonant beliefs that outweigh the dissonant ones, such as starting to exercise more in order to compensate for the bad habit.

Key concepts

Psychological Theory

Cognitive dissonance is a fascinating psychological theory that delves into the conflicts we experience when our actions are out of sync with our beliefs. Imagine feeling uneasy when you act against your values; that's cognitive dissonance at work. It's almost like your mind has an expectation for inner consistency, and when your actions clash with your thoughts, it sets off an alarm that something's not right. This internal disharmony drives individuals to find a solution to ease the discomfort, like changing an attitude or behavior to make things line up again.

For instance, consider someone who's a staunch environmentalist but finds themselves taking frequent long-haul flights, which contributes significantly to carbon emissions. The distress from acknowledging this discrepancy is what fuels the need to either alter their travel habits or reshape their mindset about personal contributions to climate change.

Leon Festinger

Leon Festinger, the psychologist behind the theory of cognitive dissonance, had an epiphany back in 1957. He realized that we, as humans, crave harmony in our minds. Festinger's insights shifted the way we understand human psychology, showing that we're not just creatures of habit but also of consistency. His research exemplifies how this quest for mental equilibrium can push people to astonishing lengths, from justifying irrational decisions to overhauling their lifestyles.

An interesting point about Festinger's work is that he didn't just theorize; he also conducted experiments to observe dissonance in action. His studies opened up a whole new dimension in psychology, focusing on the complexities of human reasoning and behavior.

Attitudes and Beliefs

Attitudes and beliefs are the bedrock of who we are and how we present ourselves to the world. They guide our behaviors and shape our responses to different situations. Cognitive dissonance occurs when there's a clash between what we do and what we believe, causing a mental stir that's hard to ignore.

For example, if someone champions equality but then inadvertently partakes in an action that goes against this principle, they'll likely end up in a tense state of cognitive dissonance. To reconcile this gap, they might need to take a closer look at their actions or reshape their viewpoint on equality to regain their sense of inner harmony.

Disharmony Reduction

When we talk about reducing disharmony, we're referring to the ways individuals seek to diminish the unease caused by cognitive dissonance. Think of it as a natural psychological defense mechanism that kicks in to protect our sense of self and maintain coherence in our beliefs.

Someone might experience cognitive dissonance if they're a vocal advocate for environmental conservation but still use plastic bags. To reduce the dissonance, they could start using reusable bags, diminish the concern by thinking that their individual impact is negligible, or deflect by emphasizing other eco-friendly actions they perform. These strategies serve to soothe the mental discord and create a more agreeable state of mind.

Behavior Change

Behavior change is often the most tangible outcome when someone experiences cognitive dissonance. To align their behavior with their core beliefs, a person may make a conscious effort to shift their actions. This shift isn't always immediate; it can be a gradual process as the individual grapples with the discomfort of their inconsistencies.

Adopting a new exercise routine when a person realizes their sedentary lifestyle contradicts their health values exemplifies this transformation. By incorporating physical activity, they not only alleviate the dissonance but also take a step towards a healthier lifestyle that resonates with their beliefs.