cognitive dissonance
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
SCHOLARLY STREET
The theory of the week is:
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
If cognition is my state of mind…..what happens when that becomes dissonant???
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT TWO
DIFFERENT THINGS AT
ONCE?
yes
no
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no
no
no
yes
yes
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yes
yes
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yesyes
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no
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nono
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nono
noyes
yes
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yes
I really like this new purse, but now I don’t have enough money for rent!
These new people I am hanging out with are so much fun, I really wish they
didn’t partake in illegal activities.
I know stealing is wrong, but that salesman was such a jerk his business
deserves to suffer!
There is so much suffering in the world, I really shouldn’t through away the rest of my food.
My parents told me not to leave the house, but my friend needs me!
Leon Festinger recognized this issue and formulated the theory of Cognitive Dissonance based on the fact that humans are sensitive to inconsistencies between action and belief. This inconsistency causes dissonance which the human will then strive to alleviate by……
1. Change the belief
2. Change the action
3. Change your perception of the action.
Sounds like an inherent spell check for your actions right?
…..the only problem……….
So what??
You cannot control it!
Salespeople, politicians, teachers, students, EVEN LAW
ENFORCERS can manipulate your sense
of dissonance into making you do what
they want!!
Charities such as the Red Cross know that if they show more realistic disaster images paired with specific victim testimonials on the news, people are more willing to donate more money!!!!
ONE SPECIFIED AREA OF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE IS POLITICAL DISSONANCE
When election results are announced the voters on the losing side feel a mixture of loss paired with a pledging of allegiance to a new leader.
Congrats man!Thanks!
Politicians can sometimes feel a strain between what they feel should occur and what their voters expect.
Cognitive dissonance can be found in many areas of communication
studies; namely, visual communication, public address, mass communication, and most
importantly public relations.
People who are selling products want their
buyers to be cognitively sound in their decisions.
(i.e. happy and NOT dissonant)
I DISAGREE!!!!!
Some scholars believe that cognitive dissonance does not
exist merely because people do not think enough about their
actions for it to be relevant. The only difference between the
cognitive dissonance theory and its criticism is the unpleasant
feeling one receives as a result of being dissonant.
