“Hellooooo!” A Look at Seinfeld’s Quirky World

Megan Boyer

March 10, 2011

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Considered one of the most unique television sitcoms of all time, Seinfeld is a work of

pure neurotic genius. In an episode titled “The Voice,” Jerry creates a silly voice, inspired by his

girlfriend’s belly button. When his girlfriend finds out about the voice, she believes Jerry is

calling her fat, and storms out of his apartment. He is later left to choose between her or the

voice. Elaine, Jerry’s closest female friend, is having the usual problems with her boyfriend,

David Putty. After running into each other at the diner, Elaine places a bet with Jerry that she

will not get back together with Putty. She of course, loses the bet multiple times. Meanwhile,

George, Jerry’s closest male friend, continues to have his own problems at work. After

discovering that he is not actually handicap and wheelchair bound, George’s boss and coworkers

try to force him to resign, this time by confining him to a hot basement office At the same time,

Kramer, Jerry’s oddball neighbor, has come up with another scheme, a business he calls

Kramerica, and takes on an intern in order to start his own corporation. By the end of the

episode, Kramerica goes under after Kramer and his intern dump a ball of oil on Jerry’s

girlfriend, she breaks up with Jerry for using the voice, George causes the company he works for

to file for bankruptcy, and Elaine and Putty continue their on again, off again relationship,

despite losing the bet with Jerry. Yet, with all of these setbacks, Jerry gets to keep the voice.

Cognitive Dissonance - George

Cognitive dissonance is the negative feeling created when humans hold one belief but act

contradictory to this belief. To rid themselves of this uncomfortable feeling, the unconscious

mind must choose to either change one’s attitude regarding the belief, change his or her behavior,

or justify why he or she holds these two opposing beliefs. Cognitive Dissonance is strongest and

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most influential when a person’s self esteem is threatened. In “The Voice,” George contradicts

himself by lying about being handicap, although he knows it is clearly wrong. Even after the

company finds out that he is able to walk, George continues to justify his actions. He convinces

himself that he needs the job badly enough, since he has had a streak of unemployment. He feels

that since he has been unlucky with work, he deserves the job and the special treatment. George

also justifies his actions because of the private bathroom, which he feels he needs and deserves.

Despite Jerry forcing him to face the reality of what he’s done, George is able to change his

beliefs towards the company, suddenly making his boss and coworkers the bad guys.

Social Exchange Theory - Elaine

The Social Exchange Theory states that the stability of a relationship can often depend on

a person’s perception of their gains and losses received by being in the relationship, and whether

or not they can find somebody more compatible. These two variables make up the Social

Exchange Theory. The Comparison Level reflects people’s expectations about the potential gains

versus loses received while in the relationship. The Comparison Level for Alternatives states that

people also consider the potential rewards versus the costs of being in a different relationship. In

“The Voice,” Elaine considers the potential costs versus the rewards of getting back together with

David Putty. In this case, the costs are literal! The cost of paying Jerry money every time she

and Putty get back together is adding up. Yet, she is physically attracted to him, and she

considers sex to be a big reward. Elaine also considers the costs of being alone and lonely versus

the rewards of having a partner. Still, she sees Putty as less intelligent than her and therefore, has

very little in common with him. These factors pull Elaine back and forth throughout the episode,

costing her a bet with Jerry every time.

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The Investment Model - Jerry

Defined by Caryl Rusbult (1983), The Investment Model states that a person’s investment

in an interpersonal relationship can predict the relationship’s stability (Rusbult, 1983). One’s

level of commitment to his or her relationship -- which reveals the stability of the relationship --

depends on three factors: satisfaction with the relationship, alternative options available, and the

amount of investment placed in the relationship (Rusbult, 1983). In “The Voice,” Jerry is forced

to use The Investment Model (though he would have probably used it anyway) to determine

whether giving up the voice is worth keeping his latest squeeze. During the montage, in which

he contemplates his choice, Jerry delves into his feelings of satisfaction with his relationship. He

daydreams about the rewards of having a girlfriend versus the costs of losing the voice. Jerry

also considers his alternatives (the voice) to this relationship. Gazing into the distance, Jerry

envisions his life with the voice versus his life without the voice, yet with the girlfriend. The

viewer is the one who examines Jerry’s level of commitment. Clearly he is not seriously

committed to this woman since he is unsure whether to choose her or the voice he’s created. He

is a man torn. A man torn between the love of a beautiful woman and a hauntingly entertaining

voice.

If we look closely enough, each episode of Seinfeld gives us a lesson in Social

Psychology. Each character is influenced by his or her environment, and by one another. Each

person in Seinfeld wants to be liked and loved. Each is a human, and whether humorous, stupid,

or neurotic, each character teaches us something important about the human species. It is true;

whether positive or negative, we do create our own reality.

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