Cognitive dissonance

According to Frantz Fanon, cognitive dissonance occurs when “people hold a core belief that is very strong [and] when they are presented with evidence that works against that belief, the new evidence cannot be accepted [so] they will rationalize, ignore or even deny anything that doesn’t fit with that core belief” (Fanon 1952). In Anthropology and Egalitarianism: Ethnographic Encounters from Monticello to the Guinea-Bissau, Eric Gable explains a core belief held by Jefferson in which “the negro”…

Within this essay I am going to explore three communication theories. These will be interpersonal, cognitive dissonance theory and communication accommodation theory. I will specifically look at the context, exchange of communication as well as the main principles of communication. I will specifically see current research of how we as professionals can communicate in the 21st century. From my findings from the literature I will look to review this against my own practise with liaison between…

Opening Skinner’s Box, it explains both the meaning of the diffusion of responsibility and cognitive dissonance. The connection between these two chapters show the human mind can be such a powerful and curious thing, but can be dangerous as well. We as human beings may not realize the psychological traps that our mind can play on us when facing certain situations that we may not believe…

Question 1: How would you define Cognitive Dissonance and when have you experienced it in your own life? According to chapter 23 of the “Public Speaking Handbook”, cognitive dissonance is when you are presented with information inconsistent with your current attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior, you become aware that you have a problem; you experience a kind of discomfort (Pg. 221). In another way to explain it, cognitive dissonance means that you are experiencing a way of thinking that is…

Laughing Away the Tension: Humor’s Effect on Dissonance in Advertising We live in a digital age. Communication is becoming increasingly more prominent on electronic mediums. The average American prefers texting to face-to-face communication (Shropshire, 2015). With the increase of electronic communication, there is an increase in digital marketing and advertisements. According to an eMarketer Report, of the roughly $158 billion spent on advertising in the US in 2015, nearly $125 billion was…

of the dissonance can also be influenced by several factors. 1. Cognitions that are more personal, such as beliefs about the self, tend to result in greater dissonance. 2. The importance of the cognitions also plays a role. Things that involve beliefs that are highly valued typically result in stronger dissonance. 3. The ratio between dissonant thoughts and consonant thoughts can also play a role in how strong the feelings of dissonance are. 4. The greater the strength of the dissonance, the…

Dissonance theory applies to all situations involving attitude formation and change. This theory is able to manipulate people into certain behavior, by doing so these people will alter their attitudes themselves. It is especially relevant to decision-making and problem-solving. It is “the awareness a person has of holding inconsistent beliefs, emotions or behavior” (Grcic 2008). The individual’s awareness of this dissonance causes him to reduce the dissonance and this can be done…

thoughts and beliefs (the cognitive component), your feelings about the idea (the affective component) and how you act towards the idea (the behavioral component). These components are not always consistent with each other but it is perceived that when they are inconsistent it makes us feel an uncomfortable mental state that motivates us to reduce this state. This state is known as Leon Festinger’s theory of Cognitive Dissonance (gawronski). It occurs most commonly when a cognitive and a…

I did not believe in. When you think about it, one might not think it is so bad. However, to us, humans, it is uncomfortable to have to question or even act against what one believes in, so one avoids it. This is what psychologist's called cognitive dissonance, the act of feeling insecure from the actions against your values. The act of accepting…

encounter material that opposes their beliefs it causes feelings of discomfort. This relates to Cognitive Dissonance Theory, in which people try to remove dissonance when their beliefs, attitudes and actions differ from one another. Selective Exposure Theory proposes that people eliminate their dissonance by selectively exposing themselves to like-minded information because it calls for less cognitive effort to the process the new knowledge (Kim, 2015). It assumes that people are able to select…