When you discover new information and you’re faced with the uncomfortable decision to … well, make decisions, embrace a positive outlook. Sometimes, when you’re faced with difficult decisions in the moment, it’s best to take a break and revisit it later when all parties have processed what’s happened. This is especially true if you’re caught up in a toxic work environment.
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- When faced with two similar choices, we are often left with feelings of dissonance because both options are equally appealing.
- One answer to that question was provided by Harmon-Jones (1999) in his action orientation model, described earlier.
- Staw (1974) used dissonance theory to understand the reactions of Americans to the lottery that determined whether they would be drafted for the Vietnam War.
Times are beginning to change and dissonance theorists have been part of that change. 21st century literature shows an accelerating number cognitive dissonance and addiction of practical procedures that are being used and assessed, particularly in the health improvement field. Based on cognitive dissonance theory, the Body Project was developed as an intervention to help people with faulty body images and eating disorders (Stice, Rohde & Shaw, 2013). Evaluation studies have shown this approach to have significant impact on eating disorders among women in a United States sample (Green et al., 2018) and body image satisfaction among men in the United Kingdom (Jankowski et al, 2017). This is as it should be, as arguably no theory has been more frequently studied, criticized, supported and modified than cognitive dissonance.
How to resolve cognitive dissonance
In order to test this proposition, I asked volunteers who had a self-diagnosed phobia about snakes to volunteer for a study designed to help them reduce their fear (Cooper, 1980). When participants arrived at the laboratory, they were introduced to Oz, our 6-foot boa constrictor, that was innocently curled up in a glass tank. An experimenter asked the participant to move as close to Oz as he possibly could. That distance was surreptitiously measured with marks that had been placed on the floor. The experimenter then asked half of the participants if they were willing to undergo our therapy, forewarning them that it might be difficult or embarrassing. The other half were not given any choice about engaging in the difficult, embarrassing therapy.
The Drive Properties of Dissonance: Reality or Metaphor?
“In this study we targeted the prefrontal cortex for treatment because this is believed to be an area of the brain that is highly adaptable to change and critical to executive functioning.” Dr. Benoit Mulsant, senior author and research team lead, explained the focus on the prefrontal cortex. “While there are several presumed mechanisms underlying the increased risk for dementia in older adults with depression, impaired brain plasticity, or the ability of the brain to compensate for damage, is thought to be one common pathway. Cognitive decline is often the result of overlapping conditions, making combination therapies especially pertinent—they can improve patient outcomes by targeting different disease pathways in a synergistic way. In other words, he could tell himself that a short life filled with smoking and sensual pleasures is better than a long life devoid of such joys. In this way, he would be decreasing the importance of dissonant cognition (smoking is bad for one’s health).
This is exciting, because it means we’re always learning, but it can lead to cognitive dissonance. In order to explain this phenomenon, psychologist Leon Festinger presented the idea of cognitive dissonance. He explained that in order to maintain our sense of identity, we’re motivated to reduce inconsistencies in our self-image. Cognitive dissonance is the psychological tension we feel as we try to reckon with two (or more) opposing pieces of information. We generally try to eliminate this dissonance by taking a new, consonant action or by dismissing the incongruent information. The effects may relate to the discomfort of the dissonance itself or the defense mechanisms a person adopts to deal with it.
What is cognitive dissonance and how do you reduce it?
We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. Here’s what you need to know about cognitive dissonance, and how to seek the proper care. Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions. In our example, you didn’t appreciate your friend pointing out that you were drinking soda instead of water.
- It doesn’t just influence how you feel; it also motivates you to take action to reduce feelings of discomfort.
- Festinger used the term “cognitive” to precede dissonance, arguing that all types of thoughts, behaviors and perceptions were represented in people’s thinking by way of their cognitive representations.
- Your behavior contradicts not just the beliefs you have about the world, but also the beliefs that you have about yourself.
- The participants also witnessed the speaker admit that there had been occasions when she failed to follow her own advice – that is, she had forgotten or neglected to use sunscreen in the past.
Almost all of the participants agreed to walk into the waiting room and persuade the confederate that the boring experiment would be fun. Bizarre and toxic conspiracy theories flourish in this particular soil of frustration, dissatisfaction, and anger. Elaborate interpretations are concocted and believed by zealots, and their preconceived beliefs and biases give them a new sense of meaning in their lives. Consider if you’re working in a job you hate, suggests Michele Leno, PhD, a Michigan-based licensed psychologist and founder of DML Psychological Services.
Change your relationship with change: Get comfortable being uncomfortable
This article provides some examples of cognitive dissonance, discusses the signs, and offers some suggestions on how to cope with it. There are also individual differences in whether or not people act as this theory predicts. Many people seem able to cope with considerable dissonance and not experience the tensions the theory predicts. Female participants were informed they would be helping out in a study funded by several manufacturers. Participants were also told that they would receive one of the products at the end of the experiment to compensate for their time and effort.
