Cognitive Dissonance Essay, Research Paper
Harmonizing to cognitive disagreement theory, there is a inclination for persons to seek
consistence among their knowledges ( beliefs, outlooks, or sentiments of a peculiar person ) .
When incompatibility does be between these beliefs or attitudes, psychological tenseness
( disagreement ) occurs and must be resolved through some action. This tenseness most frequently consequences
when an person must take between two incompatible beliefs or actions and is heightened
when options are every bit attractive to the person. This tenseness province has drive-like
belongingss. If disagreement is experienced as an unpleasant thrust province, the person is motivated to
cut down it. However, it is non an easy province to cut down. Disagreement can be eliminated by cut downing
the importance of the conflicting beliefs, by geting new beliefs that change the balance, or
taking the conflicting attitude or behaviour. In theory, cognitive disagreement suggests that
actions have a causal relationship upon knowledges.
My personal illustration of cognitive disagreement is the purchase of a 1966 Mustang I made
over the summer. This auto was my dream auto ; it was all original, in good form, and had all of the
characteristics I could of all time desire. I didn? Ts have much money but I was so aroused that I took out my
foremost loan to purchase this beautiful auto. However, when it came clip for school in the autumn, I discovered
that it was non the ideal vehicle to drive over the mountains. It was an older auto, it didn? Ts have
seat belts, and was really sluggi
sh going over the mountain base on balls. I was highly defeated.
Disagreement existed between my belief that I had bought a dream auto and that a dream auto should
hold seat belts and have adequate power to do it over a mountain base on balls. To extinguish this
disagreement, I decided to hive away the auto at my parents house and merely drive the auto infrequently. I
decided that it didn? Ts truly matter that it couldn? t thrust over the base on balls ; It was still a nice auto and
didn? T want to set a whole clump of milage on it anyhow.
Since so, I have besides purchased another auto that does hold seat belts and can drive
75mph over the base on balls. In making so, I have changed both my behaviour and my beliefs. I have
changed my belief that it is of import for a dream auto to hold seat belts and thrust over a mountain.
It is now non as of import that it has those qualities. I have settled with the alibi that it is still a
nice auto, and I don? T want to set many stat mis on it. In buying a new auto with these characteristics
( that is non what I believe to be a dream auto ) , I have besides changed my beliefs. I no longer believe
those qualities constitute the ideal auto. I have besides changed my behaviour by purchasing a new auto. I
could non alter my belief that the mustang was a dream auto and label a? for sale? mark in the
window. I still believed this was my dream auto, and the behaviour of acquiring rid of the auto would
be a batch harder than altering my beliefs. It was a batch easier to cut down the importance of the
unresolved belief. I have stopped driving the auto and have begun to drive a new auto as a consequence.
