Cognitive Dissonance Theory Essay -- Essays Papers

cognitive Dissonance TheoryLeon Festinger shared his lustre with the world when he, opposing all previous psychological behaviorist work, created the Cognitive Dissonance Theory. In his own words, he quickly sums up this preferably complex theory If you change a persons behavior, his thoughts and feelings impart change to minimize the racket (Groenveld, 1999, p.1). In order to decode this wakeless statement, we must premier be aware that Festinger held to be true that valet have a deep abiding need in their promontory to be consistent in our attitudes and behaviors we want to feel in conformity and unified in thought and action. Inner harmony sounds good to everyone, and so it was Festingers view that when we feel a disharmony, or dissonance, within ourselves, between two factors, we strive to decrease this tension by either changing our original thought, giving strength to the opposing thought, or letting go of the behavior. All three techniques are in the name of decreasi ng dissonance because it is threatening to experience such a large crack in our rationale that dissonance often creates. Say I realized the college I am attending is not offering me the classes Im enkindle in. I am feeling a post-decision dissonance, now that Ive chosen my school, within myself due to this logical inconsistency I value a college that offers classes arouse to me.I am not attending a college that offers classes interesting to me.I really want to work it out because otherwise I feel scattered like a schizophrenic as Festinger limit it. Since my intuitive feeling and behavior conflict, I seek to eliminate and reconcile the variation by choosing one of three paths (TIPTheories, 1999) 1. I can devalue my belief and say, Classes ar... ...ns that women find they love guys that use or abuse them, which is an unhealthy utmost(a) of the minimal justification theory. It happens very frequently in college. References Griffin, E. (1997). A first look at communication theo ry. New York McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Groenveld, J. (1999). Totalism & group dynamics online. Available http//www.crl.com/tzimon/General/cult_tot.html .Kearsley, G.(1999). Cognitive dissonance. Theory into Practice (TIP) Database online Available http//www.gwu.edu/ vertex/festinge.htm.Neilands, T. (1995 Dec). The time course of the self-concept threat reduction process among low and exalted self-esteem individuals (dissertation). Online. Available http//uts.cc.utexas.edu/neilands/psych/research/bigd/ch6.htm. Trenholm, S. & Jensen, A. (1996). Interpersonal communication. New York Wadworth Publishing Company.