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Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Leon Festinger developed cognitive dissonance theory, which proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce mental discomfort arising from holding two contradictory cognitions. The theory suggests that when people are faced with information that contradicts their beliefs, they will try to reduce dissonance through changing their attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors, or by rationalizing or justifying their choices. An example given is of a student who fails at photography and comes to believe photography is boring to reduce dissonance from not succeeding. The theory explains human tendencies to justify actions and change beliefs when unable to achieve a goal.

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Amir Mughal
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65 views

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Leon Festinger developed cognitive dissonance theory, which proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce mental discomfort arising from holding two contradictory cognitions. The theory suggests that when people are faced with information that contradicts their beliefs, they will try to reduce dissonance through changing their attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors, or by rationalizing or justifying their choices. An example given is of a student who fails at photography and comes to believe photography is boring to reduce dissonance from not succeeding. The theory explains human tendencies to justify actions and change beliefs when unable to achieve a goal.

Uploaded by

Amir Mughal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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March 1, 2021 [MASS COMMUNICATION THEORIES]

Cognitive Dissonance Theory


Theorist Biography

Leon Festinger, (1919 – 1989), was born to Russian-Jewish immigrants Alex Festinger and Sara

Solomon Festinger in Brooklyn, New York. Leon Festinger went to Boys’ High School and

acquired a bachelor’s degree in science at City College, New York in 1939. He did his PhD in

psychology from the University of Iowa in 1942, the same year, he married pianist Mary Oliver

Ballou with whom he had three children (Catherine, Richard and Kurt).

He is well known for his theories of “Cognitive Dissonance and Social Comparison”. He is also

responsible for the discovery of relevance of propinquity (Close relationship) on the formation of

social ties and bonds. We could find many of this social psychologist’s theories and

contributions in the study of social sciences.

Theory

The mental clash or tension resulting from the processes of acquiring knowledge or

understanding through the senses is called cognitive dissonance. In simple the clash of mind

when we have to choose from the choices is can be called cognitive dissonance. This is the

feeling of discomfort from two conflicting thoughts, it may increase or decrease according to the

following factors

1. The relevance of subject to us

2. How solid the choices or thoughts are

3. The capability of our mind to choose, rationalize or explain the thoughts.

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March 1, 2021 [MASS COMMUNICATION THEORIES]

The theory suggests that our mind have a tendency to avoid such clashes and tensions through

various methods and attain harmony.  The dissonance will be on it highest on the matters

regarding the self-image. The theory states that we are possessed with a powerful drive to

maintain cognitive steadiness and reliability which may sometimes become irrational. The mind

will attain its harmony by the following steps

1. Altering cognitions: Changing the attitude or behavior

2. Changing cognitions: Rationalize our behavior by changing the differing cognitions

3. Adding cognitions: Rationalize our behavior by adding new cognition.

This is the reason why we human beings have the tendency to justify ourselves. The theory says

that the tendency of changing beliefs when we couldn’t complete something is because of this.

This theory is subjective in nature because we cannot physically observe cognitive dissonance so

that we cannot obtain any objective measurements. It has a sort of vagueness in its nature

because it is not sure whether people will act or think according to the theory. Every people will

have their individual differences always.

Example

In a class all the students are good at photography except X. No matter how much he tried but he

kept failing in all his attempts. After passing through mental dissonance he came in the

conclusion that photography cannot do any good to him for his life. He tends to believe that

photography is boring and time wasting. And he came at the conclusion that rather not to waste

anymore of his time for photography.  Here X couldn’t perform something or he couldn’t attain

what he wished for so his mind went through cognitive dissonance and finds a solution as the

theory explain.

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March 1, 2021 [MASS COMMUNICATION THEORIES]

Another example for this theory can be found in the stories of Aesop, which is a story of fox who

wanted the grapes. The fox failed to reach the grapes when he jumps; he tried again and failed

miserably. At last he reached at the conclusion that the grapes are not sweet, they taste sour. That

reduced the anxiety of the fox and it went away.

In the story of fox we could find how someone can come up with some cognition that helps him

to attain mental harmony. Making excuses is a kind of rationalization that we does to reduce our

mental dissonance. Making excuses is the best example for this theory and we are very well

known for our ability to make excuses.

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