A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger, is the result of the human mind solving conflict. But even before festinger was the greek fabulist aesop. A common example of cognitive dissonance occurs in the purchasing decisions we make on a regular basis. Cognitive dissonance theory leon festinger 1957 pdf.
The principle of cognitive dissonance was made popular in the late 1950s by leon festingers book, theory of cognitive dissonance. Lord wrote a paper on whether or not the theory of cognitive dissonance was not tested enough and if it was a mistake to accept it into theory. May 11, 2012 theory of cognitive dissonance the theory of cognitive dissonance has been the subject of interest and study of social psychologists in particular. An introduction to the theory of cognitive dissonance. This is known as the principle of cognitive consistency.
Feb 01, 2018 this video describes cognitive dissonance theory. Cognitive dissonance theory was developed by a researcher named leon festinger in the 1950s. If you like ice cream then this is another cognition. Suffice it to mention that only five years after its introduction, brehm and cohen 1962, as cited in bem, 1967, p.
Cognitive dissonance reduction can be seen as an antecedent condition which leads to activity oriented towards dissonance reduction just as hunger leads to activity oriented towards hunger reduction. According to cognitive dissonance theory, there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions i. In their efforts to avoid feelings of dissonance, people will avoid hearing views that oppose their own, change their beliefs to match their actions, and seek reassurance after. Cognitivedissonancetheory after50yearsofdevelopment. Cognitive dissonance is a theory of psychology that translates into thought conflict. In general, social psychologists, always looking for the next great theory, seemed to have shelved this book and its concepts within a couple of decades after it came out in 1957 see leon festingers comments 30 years later in appendix b of cognitive dissonance progress on a. If you study psychology there is a very good chance that you will be introduced to the theory of cognitive dissonance. The theory of cognitive dissonance essay example 877. Individuals then change their attitudes to conform more closely with their actions,leading to an important source of attitude formation and change. If you change a persons behavior, his thoughts and feelings will change to minimize the. Dissonance theory article about dissonance theory by the. Be sure to play some cognitive dissonance crossword.
Reacting to this unpleasant state, people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. Cognitive dissonance cd is a discomfort caused by holding conflicting elements of knowledge. A theory of cognitive dissonance by festinger, leon, 19191989. Specifically, it focuses on the relationships among cognitions that are elements of knowledge that people have about their behaviors, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs, feelings, or environments. Cognitive dissonance theory is applicable in all situations which involves formation and. Leon festinger 8 may 1919 11 february 1989 was an american social psychologist, perhaps best known for cognitive dissonance and social comparison theory. It is a very different motivation from what psychologist are used to dealing with but, as we shall see, nonetheless powerful. The connection cognitive dissonance and attitude change because cognitive dissonance results in a great deal of emotional turbulence lots of people start changing their attitude as a result. Cognitive dissonance theory article about cognitive. The theory of cognitive dissonance started as a very simple observation by leon festinger that people do not like to deal with inconsistency. Cognitive dissonance theory definition of cognitive. In this state, people may feel surprise, dread, guilt, anger, or embarrassment. Ive read around many sources concerning one classic psychological phenomenon. The impact of cognitive dissonance theory continued from the late 1950s to the mid1970s.
Cd is among the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology e. Cognitive dissonance can occur in many areas of life, but it is particularly evident in situations where an individuals behavior conflicts with beliefs that are integral to his or her selfidentity. An analysis of leon festingers a theory of cognitive. A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger. Cognitive dissonance is defined as a state of mind where our belief does not match with our behaviour. Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when we make a major decision, we reduce potential dissonance by looking for justification before completing the action associate with the decision.
All books are in clear copy here, and all files are secure so dont worry about it. Cognitive dissonance theory synonyms, cognitive dissonance theory pronunciation, cognitive dissonance theory translation, english dictionary definition of cognitive dissonance theory. Spatial cognitive dissonance and sociospatial emergence in a self. This robust theory suggests that a motivational state of inner tension is triggered by logically inconsistent ways of thinking. For example a person who smokes and who knows that smoking is harmful might change his opinion about smoking by creating a new belief such as i am already. Download cognitive dissonance theory leon festinger 1957 book pdf free download link or read online here in pdf. Jan 22, 2019 cognitive dissonance is defined as a state of mind where our belief does not match with our behaviour.
The chapter offers an overview of the empirical literature on dissonance theory, beginning. Leon festingers 1957 a theory of cognitive dissonance is a key text in the history of psychology one that made its author one of the most influential social psychologists of his time. Festingers 1957 cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and behavior in harmony and avoid disharmony or dissonance. In his own words, he quickly sums up this quite complex theory. People are then motivated to reduce the dissonance, often in the easiest manner possible. With a growing interest in purely cognitive processes such as information processes, the popularity of dissonance theory declined.
The theory has, for example, also figured in the design of interventions to address a variety of societal problems. The theory of cognitive dissonance 1 concentrates on creating knowledge about important psychological processes of individuals. Cognitive dissonance challenges a possibility of human evolution. Cognitive dissonance theory has been known to play out in several ways.
This simple observation led to the development of a theory that became very controversial, and it would be. Major cognitive dissonance phenomena let us now turn to a brief discussion of major cognitive dissonance phenomena. According to cognitive dissonance theory,an individual experiences a mental discomfort after taking an action that seems to be in con. Most of them can generally be arranged into four groups. Cognitive dissonance theory cdt argues that the experience of dissonance or incompatible beliefs and actions is aversive and people are highly motivated to avoid it.
A theory of cognitive dissonance download pdfepub ebook. Download a theory of cognitive dissonance ebook for free in pdf and epub format. Cognitive dissonance 1 theory paper cognitive dissonance. Specifically, it focuses on the relationships among cognitions. If you like to smoke then this can be considered a cognition.
Cognitive dissonance simple english wikipedia, the free. It refers to the mental conflict that occurs when a persons behaviors and beliefs do not align. Before i can give examples of the cognitive dissonance theory i first have to explain what cognitive dissonance means. Cognitive dissonance theory, developed by leon festinger 1957, is concerned with the relationships among cognitions. Leon festingers theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its important and influential concepts in areas of motivation and social psychology. Leon festinger, one such noted social psychologist, explained that people, in the course of their daily lives, hold a myriad of cognitions simultaneously. Minimal justification for action induces attitude change claim that the best way to stimulate an attitude change in others is to offer just enough incentive to elicit counterattitudinal behavior behavior attitude. Read a theory of cognitive dissonance online, read in mobile or kindle. What is cognitive dissonance, know its theory and examples. Apr 10, 20 cognitive dissonance challenges a possibility of human evolution cognitive dissonance cd is a discomfort caused by holding conflicting elements of knowledge. Many of these cognitions are irrelevant to each other and are not problematic for the. Pdf postpurchase cognitive dissonance evidence from the. The theory of cognitive dissonance festinger, 1957. In terms of psychology, its a mental discomfort associated with psychological stress experienced by a person, where the person holds on to more than one contradictory ideas, attitudes, or beliefs.
Pdf this article investigates whether cognitive dissonance exists in the post purchase phase in the mobile phone industry. It is also a prime example of how creative thinking and problem solving skills can come together to produce work that changes the way people look at. Wikipedia disclaimers contact wikipedia developers statistics cookie statement mobile view. In the case of emotional abuse, people will make choices that go against reality to soothe the.
The theory of cognitive dissonance is one of the most significant and influential theories in the history of social psychology. Go to the editions section to read or download ebooks. In general, social psychologists, always looking for the next great theory, seemed to have shelved this book and its concepts within a couple of decades after it came out in 1957 see leon festingers comments 30 years later in appendix b of cognitive dissonance progress on a pivotal theory in social. Festingers 1957 cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we. Cognitive dissonance is a concept in social psychology. This work is a clearly stated theory on how humans think, decide, and defend their decisions. Cognitive dissonance theory holds that our reactions to these sorts of psychological stimuli tend to fall somewhere along a continuum on which each point represents a strategy for returning our consciousnesses into cognitive balance huegler, 2006. The products included an automatic coffee maker, an electric sandwich grill, an automatic toaster, and a portable radio. The theory of cognitive dissonance has had profound impact on research in social psychology, its influence goes beyond that field, however. The theory of cognitive dissonance essay example 877 words. Psychology the psychological tension that occurs when one holds mutually exclusive beliefs or attitudes and that often motivates people to modify their. Sep 01, 2010 cognitive dissonance is a difficult concept to understand, and i cant exactly explain it without using at least some important terms.
The original version of the theory leon festinger formulated the original theory of cognitive dissonance in the mid1950s, and the first formal and complete presentation of the theory appeared in 1957. Cognition is defined as any element of knowledge, including attitude. Festinger 1957 first proposed a theory of cognitive dissonance. In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values, or participates in an action that goes against one of these three, and experiences psychological stress because of that.
When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors dissonance, something must change to eliminate the. Proposed by festinger, the cognitive dissonance theory asserts that people often have two conflicting or inconsistent cognitions which produce a state of tension or discomfort also known as dissonance. The advances in the history of cognitive dissonance theory. It is the discomfort felt by a person who holds conflicting ideas, beliefs or values at the same time. Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when there exists a discrepancy between what a person believes in and the outcome. A theory of cognitive dissonance also available in format docx and mobi. According to this theory, when two actions or ideas are not psychologically consistent with each other, people do all in their power. Postpurchase cognitive dissonance evidence from the mobile. Leon festingers theory of cognitive dissonance was. Article information, pdf download for spatial cognitive dissonance and. Ajzen, i, 1991, the theory of planned behavior organizational behavior and. Cognitive dissonance theory leon festinger shared his brilliance with the world when he, opposing all previous psychological behaviorist work, created the cognitive dissonance theory. Cognitive dissonance and attitude change 2knowmyself.
However, it seemed that every site i read from was trying to numb my mind with advanced terminology. Adaptability psychology, cognitive dissonance, cognitieve dissonantie, dissonance cognitive. Pdf on jan 1, 2015, omvir gautam and others published cognitive. Leon festinger was the first psychologist to study cognitive dissonance around the 1950s, and his works, such as books and experiments, helped to shed light on the ways in which humans act to decrease cognitive dissonance. So ill try to keep things as simple as can be whilst keeping the post academic also. Cognitive dissonance is a theory in social psychology. An analysis of leon festingers a theory of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the negative feeling that results from conflicting beliefs and behaviors. The theory of dissonance is here applied to the problem of why partial reward, delay of reward, and effort expenditure during training result in increased resistance to extinction. Read online cognitive dissonance theory leon festinger 1957 book pdf free download link book now. Festinger described cognitive dissonance as a state which comes into existence when a person gets confused between two cognitions thoughts, which cannot exist together and hence create tension for him.
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