PSY 240 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Cognitive Dissonance, Tunxis Community College, Leon Festinger
23 Nov 2020
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Cognitive dissonance theory: a theory that describes attitude change as occurring in order to reduce the unpleasant arousal people experience when they engage in a behavior that conflicts with their attitude or when they hold two conflicting attitudes. Member of a student organization that encourages recycling, but one day you toss an empty soda can into the nearest trash bin instead of carrying the can until you find a recycling bin. This act should create a state of cognitive dissonance because you"ve engaged in a behavior. People are highly motivated to reduce the dissonance caused by holding inconsistent attitudes or engaging in counter attitudinal behavior. We can reduce dissonance by changing our behavior so that its in line with attitudes. Another way to reduce unpleasant arousal is to decide this inconsistency isn"t really an issue/ very important (yeah i smoke but its not as dangerous as driving without a seatbelt)
