Fix And Grapes: The Cognitive Dissonance Theory In Social Psychology

1101 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Cognitive and psychodynamic approach to psychology

FOX and GRAPES One day, a very hungry fox sneaks into a vineyard. A bunch of grapes hanging from a very high grapevine, the fox is tempted. The fox bounces several times to reach and eat the delicious sweet bunches of grapes... However, the grapes are too high, the fox cannot reach. The fox finally has to accept the defeat and murmurs after giving up. “What difference does it make? These are sour grapes anyway, they should be sour!” Is this a familiar story to you? So, do you react the same way or are you exposed to such reactions? Most likely, yes... The man is programmed to eliminate the conflict. We want our behaviors and our thoughts to be consistent. Frankly, if I consider that those grapes are great, I should eat them. If I cannot eat, well… Maybe they are not that delicious after all? The theory that includes the method of overcoming is called as the Cognitive Dissonance Theory in social psychology literature. Our values constitute the foundation for our behaviors and our thoughts. Thus, we would like to have our values that are consistent with our thoughts and beliefs. On the other hand, our behaviors accompany this harmony… Well, what do we do when there is a discrepancy? When there is no balance, a conflict exists and human beings cannot live …show more content…

Group 2 is told, “You must fill out this questionnaire to qualify for the team X (the same team). Group 3 is told, “I am including you to the team X.” Later on, the groups are interviewed about their experiences in the team. (Attention: all subjects are eventually included in the same team, only the selection criteria varied.) The test shows that those who worked more to participate in the team are more content about the team since the discrepancy is higher for them; as they think “We have struggled much to be a part of this

Show More
Related

  • An Examination of Festinger's Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Notable Modifications

    2027 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sometimes the greatest test of a theory is its longevity. Over time, some theories will be disproved, some will be modified, and some will become the basis for a whole new group of theories. Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance has stood up to challenge for over forty years, and is considered by many to be the single most important theory of social psychology. Though there have been modifications to the theory after many recreations and simulations of the original 1957 experiment, few have been able to really disqualify Festinger’s findings. It would be safe to say that many people don’t even have a full grasp of the incredible implications that Festinger’s research and experiments have towards the self-concept and behavior, myself not excluded. The actual definition of cognitive dissonance is almost too simple: an unpleasant feeling that arises from the contradiction of belief and action. Festinger, however, went on to find that dissonance would in fact change attitudes over time, helping people to justify their behavior when they know it is clearly wrong.

    Read More

  • Cognitive Dissonance

    1619 Words  | 4 Pages

    Cooper, Joel. Cognitive Dissonance: Fifty Years of a Classic Theory. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2007. Print

    Read More

  • Cognitive Dissonance Theory Essay

    688 Words  | 2 Pages

    Cognitive dissonance theory is the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent. There are three methods that dissonance can be condensed. Individuals can modify one or more of the beliefs, attitude, behaviors, and more, this way the connection between the two elements are in agreement with one another. Another method is to gather new information that will compensate the dissonant beliefs. The third method is to decrease the importance of the beliefs, attitudes, behavior, and etc. Dissonance theory does not say that these methods will work; only people in the state of cognitive dissonance will use these methods to condense the degree of their dissonance. Cognitive dissonance theory

    Read More

  • Theory: My Experience With Cognitive Dissonance Theory

    1201 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cognitive dissonance is a theory presented by Leon Festinger’s in 1957. This theory suggested that we have an inner drive to hold our attitudes and beliefs in harmony. When we have two inconsistent cognitions this creates dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is physically uncomfortable to experience. There’s some negative physical tension that you feel any time you recognize two inconsistent thoughts or realize that you’ve done something through your behavior that contradicts you true attitudes and beliefs. Dissonance gets in the way of finding some sense of truth. In general, if we want to understand the world, then we want a clear, consistent picture of it. Anything that makes us feel inconsistency of something that’s a problem, and we are motivated to restore consistency again. We can restore

    Read More

  • What Are Cognitive Dissonance?

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cults are a small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.A tremendous population increase of cults occurred between the 1960s and 1970s, because this time period was of rebellion and reform. People felt inspired by questioning authority. People mainly join cults because they are looking for a place to fit new and something to belong to. Cults use psychological techniques to create their cults as seen in Jonestown and the Klu Klux Klan .

    Read More

  • Cognitive Dissonance Essay Examples

    1606 Words  | 4 Pages

    The way I would describe cognitive dissonance is contradicting with two different ideas or more. There could be a set of believe but then this could be broken when something else comes along. This can go different ways either by sticking with their first idea, reducing one idea or changing to the other idea.

    Read More

  • Cognitive Dissonance Theory

    1039 Words  | 3 Pages

    The theory of Cognitive Dissonance states that when individuals are presented with information that implies we act in a way that contradicts our moral standards, we experience discomfort (Aronson, Wilson, and Akert, 1998, P. 191). This is considered Cognitive Dissonance,

    Read More

  • What Is Cognitive Dissonance?

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    lected Theory: Cognitive Dissonance is an objective communication theory created by Leon Festinger, a Stanford University social psychologist. Cognitive Dissonance is a conflicting mental state caused by discrepancy between two beliefs held by an individual. The more important the belief the stronger the dissonance. The strain caused by dissonance leads us to change our behavior or belief. Festinger says there are three different ways to reduce or avoid dissonance: selective exposure, postdecision dissonance, and minimal justification. Also, Festinger describes three different reasons for why one reduces dissonance. These reasons are self- consistency, personal responsibility for bad outcomes, and self- affirmation to dissipate dissonance.

    Read More

  • Theory of Cognitive Dissonance by Leon Festinger

    1765 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Humans are not a rational animal, but a rationalizing one” (“Class 20”). This was asserted by the much acclaimed, significant, and influential social psychologist Leon Festinger as referencing to his theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Social psychology is “a branch of psychology particularly concerned with understanding social behaviors such as” incentive and compliance (Sheehy). Festinger’s contributions to the social and cognitive branches of psychology as well psychology overall prove themselves worthy to today. This theory specifically challenged many common notions that were seemingly already accepted by behaviorists everywhere during his time (Tavris and Aronson). Its reality awakens its verifications. Consecutively, its “enormous motivational power” affects many on a daily basis (Tavris and Aronson). In the final analysis, the theory of Cognitive Dissonance by Leon Festinger is fundamental to behaviorism while directly changing the way human beings across the planet think and do.

    Read More

  • Cognitive Dissonance

    394 Words  | 1 Pages

    My personal example of cognitive dissonance is the purchase of a 1966 Mustang I made

    Read More

  • Personal Values Of Nursing

    1682 Words  | 4 Pages

    State how these values were formed, how they influence your character, and how you came to embrace these values. (2 marks)

    Read More

  • The Cause Of Cognitive Dissonance

    1247 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cognitive dissonance is at the heart of all spirituality. There is a need for humans to have a belief in something bigger than ourselves. Civilizations have a need for structure and stability to help them thrive, at the heart of all civilizations is religion. There is danger in having absolute faith and very thin line between spiritual beliefs and a dangerous cults. If someone is under stress, they fight even harder to hold onto their belief as outlandish or different it maybe. The cause of Conative dissonance if the difference between the faith one person holds and the reality around them.

    Read More

  • Cognitive Dissonance

    1287 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Your best friend is having a beer bash tonight. Everyone you talk to indicated their positive intentions of going to the best beer bash of the millennium. However, you have a Psyc 135 final next morning that you haven't studied for. Your midterm scores have been low going into the final, but everyone claims that the final is easy every semester. Should you stay home and study for the final or go to this millennium beer bash and merrily consume alcohol?”

    Read More

  • Personal Values Essay

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    During everyone 's lifetime, there is always something we hold closest to our hearts; it maybe our principles we live by, values, and even our own beliefs. Values are those things that are very important to us but never really realize how much we actually value them in our life. Have you ever been asked to define three of your main values and rip them up? I have and I never noticed how much they meant to me. Each and every one of us believes in our own personal values. These values are what gives us strength and strive us to do what makes us happy. These values are very important to us and are standards that we live by whether we realize it or not. Everyone has something we value including me. Some of the values I might think highly of,

    Read More

  • My Personal Values Essay

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    Understanding who we are as individuals can be a struggle for people throughout life. It can be difficult to comprehend who we are and why we exist. There are daily outside influences that help create who we are and what our values are. Values play a significant role in our lives. They shape the choices we make and reveal a big part of our identity to the world. Some values may be more important than others, but they still manage to influence our lives in one way or another, whether we know it or not. Values can range from a tangible item to an idea that has influenced us to stand by and remember those values. The values we hold with the highest importance act as a guide and help us prioritize our purpose and goals in our daily life. My family has taught me a list of values and traits that have helped me become a well-rounded individual. I value my family more than anything because most of my core inner values have started from their teachings at one point or another. My top values that I have developed from my family are dedication, honesty, and wisdom. I will discuss who I am in terms of the important values that shape my personal belief system and decision making framework that, in essence, describes the direction of my life.

    Read More

More about Fix And Grapes: The Cognitive Dissonance Theory In Social Psychology

Open Document