Cognitive Dissonance: a mental conflict that occurs when beliefs are contradicted by new information
When a person hears information that contradicts their worldview, or experiences two thoughts that are inconsistent with one another, the resulting insecurity is called "cognitive dissonance". This conflict activates areas of the brain involved in personal identity and emotional response to threats. The resulting alarm becomes activated when a person feels threatened on a deeply personal and emotional level causing them to disregard any rational evidence that contradicts what they previously regarded as "truth".
Humans are sensitive to inconsistencies between actions and beliefs. As humans, we all recognize, at some level, when we are acting in a way that is inconsistent with our beliefs/attitudes/opinions. In effect, there is a built in alarm that goes off when we notice such an inconsistency, whether we like it or not. For example, if you have a belief that it is wrong to cheat, yet you find yourself cheating on a test, you will notice and be affected by this inconsistency.
Recognition of this inconsistency will cause dissonance, and will motivate an individual to resolve the dissonance. The degree of dissonance will vary with the importance of your belief/attitude/principle and with the degree of inconsistency between your behavior and this belief. In any case, the greater the dissonance the more you will be motivated to resolve it.
Dissonance gets in the way of finding some sense of truth. If we want to understand the world, we want a clear and consistent picture of it, and when anything makes us experience dissonance, we will become motivated to restore consonance.
Humans are sensitive to inconsistencies between actions and beliefs. As humans, we all recognize, at some level, when we are acting in a way that is inconsistent with our beliefs/attitudes/opinions. In effect, there is a built in alarm that goes off when we notice such an inconsistency, whether we like it or not. For example, if you have a belief that it is wrong to cheat, yet you find yourself cheating on a test, you will notice and be affected by this inconsistency.
Recognition of this inconsistency will cause dissonance, and will motivate an individual to resolve the dissonance. The degree of dissonance will vary with the importance of your belief/attitude/principle and with the degree of inconsistency between your behavior and this belief. In any case, the greater the dissonance the more you will be motivated to resolve it.
Dissonance gets in the way of finding some sense of truth. If we want to understand the world, we want a clear and consistent picture of it, and when anything makes us experience dissonance, we will become motivated to restore consonance.
What Does Dissonance Look Like?
Researchers has observed that cognitive dissonance may increase sympathetic activity, people in a dissonant state change their attitudes in order to reduce the unpleasant state rather than the “arousal” state induced by cognitive dissonance (Losch & Cacioppo, 1990). In other words, when a person experiences dissonance they are experiences a measurable level of discomfort.
Restoring Consonance
- Change beliefs: Perhaps the simplest way to resolve dissonance between actions and beliefs is simply to change your beliefs. You could, of course, just decide that cheating is o.k. This would take care of any dissonance. However, if the belief is fundamental and important to you such a course of action is unlikely. Moreover, our basic beliefs and attitudes are pretty stable, and people don’t just go around changing basic beliefs/attitudes/opinions all the time, since we rely a lot on our world view in predicting events and organizing our thoughts.
- Change behavior: A second option would be to make sure that you never do this action again. Guilt and anxiety can be motivators for changing behavior. For instance, you may say to yourself that you will never cheat on a test again, and this may aid in resolving the dissonance.
- Change perception of action: A third and more complex method of resolution is to change the way you view/remember/perceive your action. In other words, you would rationalize or justify your actions. For example, you might decide that the test you cheated on was for a class that you didn’t need anyway. Or you may say to yourself that everyone cheats so why not you? In other words, you think about your action in a different manner or context so that it no longer appears to be inconsistent with your actions.
"The Best Way Out Is Through"
Robert Frost
References
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance, Evanston, IL: Row & Peterson.
Losch, M. and Cacioppo, J. (1990). Cognitive dissonance may enhance sympathetic tonus, but attitudes are changed to reduce negative affect rather than arousal. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 26(4), pp.289-304. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(90)90040-S
Losch, M. and Cacioppo, J. (1990). Cognitive dissonance may enhance sympathetic tonus, but attitudes are changed to reduce negative affect rather than arousal. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 26(4), pp.289-304. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(90)90040-S