Persuasion Theories - Cognitive Dissonance
The cognitive dissonance theory gives a basic explanation
for the way, humans react when they act outside of their beliefs. This theory posits that
individuals often have conflicting beliefs with actions they take, or other beliefs they
have. This dissonance creates a tension and tension reduction is automatically sought
by changing their evaluations to some degree. Dissonance increases due to the
following:
• The importance of the subject
• How strongly the dissonant thoughts conflict
• People’s inability to rationalize and explain away the conflict
Dissonance increases with the importance and impact of the decision, along with the
difficulty of reversing it. Discomfort about making the wrong choice of car is bigger
than when choosing a lamp.
Dissonance is often strong when people believe something about themselves, but do
something against that belief. If they believe that they are good but do something bad,
the discomfort they feel as a result is cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is central to many forms of persuasion to change beliefs, values,
attitudes, and behaviors. The tension can be injected suddenly or allowed to build up
over time. People can be moved in many small jumps or one large one.
Cognitive dissonance is a very powerful motivator which will often lead to change one
or other of the conflicting beliefs or actions. To release the tension a person can take
one of three actions:
• Change his/her behavior.
• Justify his/her behavior by changing the conflicting cognition.
• Justify his/her behavior by adding new cognitions.
Dissonance is most powerful when it is about our self-image. Feelings of foolishness,
immorality and so on (including internal projections during decision-making) are
dissonance in action.
If an action has been completed and cannot be undone, then the after-the-fact
dissonance compels one to change one’s beliefs. If beliefs are moved, then the
dissonance appears during decision-making, forcing one to take actions one would
not have taken before.
Cognitive dissonance appears in virtually all evaluations and decisions and is the central
a mechanism by which a person experiences new differences in the world. When one
sees other people behave differently to one’s images of them, when one holds any
conflicting thoughts, one experiences dissonance.
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