Some subjects, who were led to believe that their participation in the experiment had concluded, were then asked to perform a favor for the experimenter by telling the cognitive dissonance theory next participant, who was actually a confederate, that the task was extremely enjoyable. Dissonance was created for the subjects performing the favor, as the task was in fact boring. Half of the paid subjects were given $1 for the favor, while those of the other half received $20. As predicted by Festinger and Carlsmith, those paid $1 reported the task to be more enjoyable than those paid $20.
Study 2: Counterattitudinal Essay
- When one of the dissonant elements is a behavior, the individual can change or eliminate the behavior.
- Imagine you land a high-paying job but believe the company’s practices are unethical.
- Cognitive dissonance plays a crucial role in decision-making processes.
- Our studies did not find evidence of a role for Arousal or Dominance change, which suggest that these characteristic are less defining features of the dissonance state.
- Both theories address cognitive consistency, but in different contexts.
He can tell himself, “I am becoming stronger, healthier, and sharper. 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.
“It’s All Their Fault!” – Stop Blaming Others and Take Control of Your Life
They will likewise take action to reduce discrepancies in abilities, for which there is an upward drive to improve one’s abilities. Whether you seek therapy in-person or via an online therapy platform, a professional can guide you through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, such as adjusting your conflicting beliefs and attitudes. They can also help you come up =https://ecosoberhouse.com/ with an action plan to align your behaviors and values, build self-esteem, and cultivate acceptance. Cognitive dissonance is an internal conflict that occurs in a person when their conflicting beliefs collide. According to Willingham (2014), cognitive dissonance “literally means having mental conflicts” (p. 151).
Averse consequences vs. inconsistency
So, for example, if a person is presented with new information that contradicts their existing beliefs or opinions (creating cognitive dissonance), they may seek to change one of their mental states to reduce the conflict and tension experienced. 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. For participants who were not asked to lie, and for participants who lied in exchange for $20, they tended to report that the study indeed wasn’t very interesting. After all, participants who had told a lie for $20 felt that they could justify the lie because they were paid relatively well (in other words, receiving the large sum of money reduced their feelings of dissonance).
- Unknown to the subjects, this new subject was actually a confederate (an actor) and part of the research team.
- Being paid only $1 is not sufficient incentive for lying and so those who were paid $1 experienced dissonance.
- It has been used to explain and predict the motivational nature of dissonance that led to attitude and behaviour changes at both the individual and organisational level.
A person who cares about their health might be disturbed to learn that sitting for long periods during the day is linked to Alcoholics Anonymous a shortened lifespan. Since they work all day in an office and spend a great deal of time sitting, it is difficult to change their behavior. People like to believe that they are logical, consistent, and good at making decisions.
