The Cognitive Dissonance Theory (CDT)

The Cognitive Dissonance Theory (CDT)
As people, we often presume that the actions displayed by a person are piloted through their individual thoughts and opinions, however the cognitive dissonance theory (CDT) shows that this is not always the case. Labeled by some as an action-opinion theory, the theory of cognitive dissonance explains how people are compelled to commit actions contrary to their beliefs. The basic principle behind action-opinion theories is that these types of theories insinuate that actions can influence one’s beliefs and attitudes. This idea is counterintuitive in that it would seem logical that our actions are a reflection of our thoughts and opinions and not the cause of them. Nevertheless, theories like these, particularly

cognitive dissonance, address the pervasive human tendency to rationalize.
Originated by Leon Festinger (1957), the cognitive dissonance theory focuses on a person’s psychological discomfort with inconsistency. In a situation where one is faced with conflicting attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors, there is a need to restore harmony with his or her pre-existing thoughts and ideas. The theory states that this need for harmony, can give rise to irrational and sometimes maladaptive behaviors in order to reinstate that balance (McLeod, 2014).
Numerous experiments have been conducted that have examined CDT since it’s inception, but the seminal experiment was published in 1959 (Festinger & Carlsmith, 1959).

In the experiment, all of the subjects were required to complete a boring task and then inform another subject that the task was exciting. Half of the participants were paid $1 to do this, and the other half were paid $20. At the conclusion of the study, all the subjects were asked to rate how much they liked the boring task. The results showed that a majority of participants of whom were paid $20 rated the task as boring, whereas participants of whom were paid $1 rated the task as fun. Cognitive dissonance theory explains that those who were paid $1 would feel the most dissonance since they had to carry out a boring task and lie to an experimenter for only $1. Therefore, they were motivated to resolve their dissonance by rationalizing their actions and form the impression that task was in fact

fun.
Utilizing the results of this study, Festinger defines three potential ways in which a person will attempt to eliminate dissonance. The first is by reducing the importance of the conflicting belief. This is achieved by rationalizing one’s thoughts or actions in order to view the contradiction in a manner that no longer appears inconsistent with their values. The second tactic is to acquire new information that outweighs the dissonant beliefs. When using this method, a person will look for information that supports their existing ideas in an attempt to negate the conflicting idea. The final option is to change the dissonant belief so it is no longer inconsistent. This can be done by simply eliminating the conflicting idea or changing pre-existing thinking so it now aligns with the dissonant idea. It is important to note that while the theory does mention these techniques, it does not state that they are guaranteed to be effective. They serve to show that people will take measures to reduce the extent of their dissonance (McLeod, 2014).
Magnitude of dissonance is a phrase that refers to the extent of dissonance a person has experienced (Gass & Sieter, 2011). Researchers have identified four paradigms that affect one’s magnitude of dissonance. (Beauvois & Joule, 1999; Harmon-Jones & Mills, 1999). The free choice paradigm states that the freer the choice one has in making a decision, the more dissonance they will suffer. However, this will only occur if the negative outcome of the decision was foreseeable. The effort justification paradigm states that the greater the amount of effort or sacrifice required to achieve a task, the greater dissonance a person will suffer. The paradigm of induced compliance states that when a person is forced to do something they are uncomfortable with they will experience great amounts of dissonance, but can rationalize this by stating that they had no choice. The final paradigm, called belief disconfirmation, argues that one will experience dissonance when they are presented with information that is contrary to their own beliefs. These paradigms are the factors responsible for influence a change in one’s attitude in order to eliminate the dissonance they feel.

Racial Discrimination in the United States
There are so many forms of systematic oppression, yet racism seems to be one of the most prevalent in our society.

Camara Jones defines racism as “a system of structuring opportunity and assigning values to people based on phenotypic properties that unfairly disadvantage some individuals and communities, while unfairly advantaging others (p. 10). America has amassed an extensive history with racism and ethnic discrimination. Dating back to the colonial times with the conquering of Native Americans, and progressing into the slave era, the foundation of America was built on oppression of other people. Legally sanctioned privileges were given to white Americans that were not granted to those of other ethnicities. Racially structured institutions such as the erection of Native American internment camps, the practice of slavery (where human beings were treated as disposable property without privileges or rights), and segregation were implemented following this

ideology.
Though the issue of racism isn’t as conspicuous as it was in the past, it is still present deep within the roots of our society. According to CNN, roughly half of Americans say racism is a big problem in society today, and 2/3 believe that racial tensions have increased over the last decade (Shoichet, 2015). This idea can be attributed to the rise in technology and social media, granting people the ability to capture acts of discrimination and share them with the masses. This supports the theory that racism isn’t on the rise, we are just now more capable of bringing awareness to it.