Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Leon Festinger created the cognitive dissonance theory as an attempt to explain why people desire to have consistency between their behaviors and actions. Cognitive dissonance is the distressing mental state people feel when they find themselves doing things that don’t fit with what they know, or having opinions that do not fit with other opinions they hold (Festinger, 1957; as cited in Griffin, 2009). Thus, people are motivated to change either their behavior or their belief when feelings of dissonance arise. Dissonance is reduced using three mental strategies. Selective exposure is the strategy used before a decision is made. The premise of this strategy is to avoid information that is likely to increase dissonance. The second strategy deals with postdecision dissonance. According to Abrams (2010), there are three factors that have the potential to increase postdecision dissonance. Dissonance may increase when the person is dealing with an important decision. Also, the more time and energy invested, the higher the possibility for increased dissonance. Lastly, dissonance is likely to increase when the decision is irreversible. Therefore, postdecision dissonance is reduced by reassurance that the person made the right decision. Festinger’s minimal justification hypothesis is the last strategy used to reduce dissonance. The hypothesis suggests that people need only minimal justification to change their attitude or belief. If a person is offered just enough reward or punishment, they are likely to reduce their dissonance. Social psychologist Elliot Aronson is credited with producing the self-consistency interpretation of dissonance, a modification of Festinger’s theory. Though Aronson’s interpretation includes Festinger’s idea that behavior and cognitive change is motivational in nature and derives from psychological discomfort, self-consistency or self-concept asserts that cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a discrepancy between a person’s self-concept

References: Griffin, E. (2009). A first look at communication theory. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Matz, D.C., & Wood, W. (2005). Cognitive dissonance in groups: The consequences of disagreement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88, 22-37. Spangenberg, E.R., Sprott, D.E., Grohmann, B., & Smith, R. J. (2003). Mass-communicated prediction requests: Practical application and a cognitive dissonance explanation for self- prophecy. Journal of Marketing, 67, 47-62.