The discoverer of cognitive dissonance, Leon Festinger, is considered one of the great figures in social psychology. Cognitive dissonance is a defense mechanism when a person has a very negative, shameful feeling, or memory. During this time Psyche manages to change it so that the memory and emotion completely disappear or change to make it less painful.
Festinger developed a defense mechanism, which he called cognitive dissonance. It combines several defense mechanisms. Dissonance is a term borrowed from music that means an out-of-harmony, chord that needs to be brought back into harmony. Festinger suggested that there are opposing elements within us. For example, we sometimes engage in behavior that goes against our moral values. A person who does not love us will sometimes do a noble deed. In this case, there is a special mechanism of dissonance reduction, during which the tension between these two elements is released.
Festinger conducted an experiment. Two groups were given two identical tasks, which were monotonous and had to be completed in forty minutes. One group was given twenty dollars as a reward; the other was given one dollar. Those who were given twenty considered that this task was really bad and boring, but the reward was good. Those who took a dollar found interest in this pointless test to justify wasting their time.
Everyone experiences cognitive dissonance at some point in their lives. It can be caused by our environment, for instance, peer pressure, or making decisions between similar choices. This makes people doubt themselves and makes them feel uneasy, so they start to seek ways to adapt to new beliefs and actions to become more consistent. In addition, when there is inconsistency with a person’s attitude and behavior, that’s when cognitive dissonance can occur. The same can be said for action with insufficient justification for behavior, when a person gets minimal reward for their behavior. When denial occurs, the person employs cognitive dissonance as a defense mechanism to minimize the inconsistency. They may start rationalizing as another defense mechanism; for instance, they can say that the end of the action that contradicts their value justifies the mean.
Furthermore, repression of these thoughts and memories is possible to avoid discomfort. Displacement of the emotions to another person or target instead of confrontation is another mechanism.
Cognitive dissonance is part of human life, and its avoidance is impossible; however, people can try to manage their emotions and come up with ways to reduce cognitive dissonance.
The most important is introspection; whenever you have conflicts with your thoughts, ask questions and start reflecting. Become self-aware. Be open to new viewpoints. This can help broaden your perspective and reduce cognitive dissonance. Embrace ambiguity. It is sometimes necessary to understand that the world is so complex that absolute certainty may not actually be true.
Cognitive dissonance is an important and very intriguing phenomenon. It can have its negative aspects, as cognitive dissonance can cause discomfort with oneself. However, there are ways to practice embracing new beliefs and avoiding dissonance.
References:
Let’s Get Experimental: Cognitive Dissonance. (n.d.). https://www.bialikbreakdown.com/articles/lets-get-experimental-cognitive-dissonance
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