When external circumstances lead someone to perform an action they would not normally do, that can cause cognitive dissonance. Similarly, in the course of everyday decision-making, people may find themselves presented with options that have advantages and disadvantages, leading to dissonance once they have made a decision. Thus, if they put forth extensive effort for an action with little payoff, they may experience cognitive dissonance. One example of cognitive dissonance would be believing that bumper cars are immature and then riding in the bumper car with one’s younger sibling. Another example would be thinking that attending classes is useless but then showing up regularly. Each of these examples at least could involve discomfort from the tension between one’s beliefs and actions.

• With this scale, each of the three dimensions is measured with six bipolar items.
• We all face mental discomfort when we have opposing views or actions on the same topic.
• The arrows indicate the expected belief strength of the information group before tasting the coffee.
• They had to turn pegs on a large board for an hour, turning each peg a quarter of the way around, and then starting again at the top of the board to do another quarter turn, and so on.

The first way to reduce cognitive dissonance is to change dissonant behaviour. A person who drinks excessively can choose to not drink, or call a cab after a few drinks. Changing both behaviours will relieve the cognitive dissonance because their actions are then in harmony with what they know about the dangers of drinking and driving. The main element from the cognitive dissonance theory is about two factors that affect the intensity of the dissonance.

How common is cognitive dissonance?

If that same person believed the COVID-19 pandemic was real but refused to wear a mask, their values and behaviors would contradict each other. Understanding our mechanisms with which we reduce dissonance and recognizing when it occurs are key to making informed and constructive decisions. Self-awareness and mindfulness practice empower us to notice inconsistencies in our thinking and find the space between dissonance triggers and our reaction so we can choose a response we are truly happy with. This book includes examples of cognitive dissonance in today’s world.

Results showed that the participants trusted attitude-consistent news the most out of all the others, regardless of the source. There are also individual differences in whether or not people act as this theory predicts. Many people seem able to cope with considerable dissonance and not experience https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the tensions the theory predicts. If a voluntary experience that has cost a lot of effort turns out badly, the dissonance is reduced by redefining the experience as interesting. For example, when people smoke and they know that smoking causes cancer , they are in a state of cognitive dissonance.

Study 1: Hypocrisy Paradigm

Dissonance as a result of inconsistencies of attitudes and behavior occurs when there are discrepancies between what we believe and what we do. In a paragraph or two, write an essay that defines cognitive dissonance and how it came about. Be sure to explain why this theory was revolutionary at the time it was created.

An introduction to cognitive dissonance theory and an overview of perspectives on the theory. Reduce cognitive dissonance by being mindful of their values and pursuing opportunities to live those values. Cognitive dissonance is not a mental health condition, and a person does not necessarily need treatment for it.

Causes of cognitive dissonance

Changing beliefs is the easiest approach to making your behaviors and beliefs more consistent. Such a course of action is unlikely if the belief is significant to you and is core to who you are. For example, suppose a person values and desires a healthy body but continues consuming unhealthy junk food.

• The point of this condition was to see how significant the counterchoice may affect a person’s ability to cope.
• Cognitive dissonance theory proposes that people seek psychological consistency between their expectations of life and the existential reality of the world.
• Viewed survey response as a voluntary action within a context of reciprocal social obligations, and showed how survey procedures can build a positive social exchange with prospective survey participants.
• In communication, cognitive dissonance explains why some people may lie.
• Has generally been used with at-risk women, and outside of the school setting.
• The subjects paid one dollar ($1) rated the tasks more positively than did the subjects in the twenty-dollar ($20) or control groups.

So John may avoid reading studies that suggest bacon is truly bad for his health and may even convince himself that such studies are biased. For example, he may actively seek out information that supports his behavior—such as articles that suggest bacon has several health benefits. If he believes bacon can actually improve some aspects of his health, he will likely experience much less dissonance the next time he helps himself to a generous serving. As the foregoing discussion highlights, cognitive dissonance is an unpleasant state that motivates individuals to take steps to reduce it.