Leon Festinger's Cognitive Dissonance Theory

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In 1957 Leon Festinger proposed an idea of cognitive dissonance theory, in which he states that to maintain cognitive stability you sometime give in to irrational and maladaptive attitude, beliefs, or behaviors within yourself. Within these conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors they can produce discomfort leading to an adjustment to reduce the discomfort and restore cognitive balance. The theory starts from the idea that we try to seek consistency in our attitude, beliefs, and behaviors in any situation where two cognitions are inconsistent. Festinger believed that we had an inner drive to keep these beliefs in harmony and avoid dissonance. While these behaviors can change due to factors within the person who hold them. An example can be that people who smoke cigarettes (behavior) know it is bad for them and it can causes cancer (cognition).but they still do it. Cognitive dissonance theory is based on three fundamental assumptions. First, people are sensitive to contradictions between their actions and their beliefs. Which means that we all know when we are doing something that is inconsistent with our attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors. Second recognition of this contradictions will …show more content…

Some researchers say that it is the addiction to chemicals in the cigarettes together with cognitive dissonance, which make them still smoke. So with their thought process that the risk is small they will get sick becomes dissonant with other thoughts that they can be a smart and responsible person who can make reasonable decisions for themselves. So the theory can be said that that people are rationalizing that smoking is bad but they are not always rational in regards to the outcomes of their

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