POST #5 Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance, a drive or feeling of discomfort, originally defined as being caused by holding two or more inconsistent cognitions and subsequently defined as being caused by performing an action that is discrepant from one’s customary, typically positive self-conception. In plain terms, Cognitive dissonance is anything that makes you feel absurd, stupid or immoral. In the article they used the example of telling joggers that stretching does not help prevent injury but in fact it may actually harm. This brought out the cognitive dissonance it the joggers who stretch regularly. The reaction that they received is a normal reaction due to human nature of wanting to believe that we live and act the proper way and that what we do is always right. This cognitive dissonance can be a good trait sometimes but for the most part being stubborn and not seeing other sides may in fact turn out to be problematic with in society. There are ways to limit or reduce the cognitive dissonance that one may have, this is done by; changing behavior to bring it more in line with the dissonant cognition, justify our behavior through changing one of the cognitions to make it less dissonant with our behavior, and by attempting to justify our behaviors by adding new cognitions that work with our current cognitions.

            Another example that this article used proving how people change cognitions to fit there behaviors to limit cognitive dissonance is with smokers. Many smokers that have been doing this for years will argue that many of the facts are falsified or that the filters help keep out harmful chemicals. They will also try and use other examples of others who have lived a long life even while smoke a pack or 2 a day. This is a prime example of a person changing cognitions to make their behavior more acceptable and making them feel like they are not doing anything wrong.

            A person that is involved in the cognitive dissonance believes that they are being completely rational with their thinking but to an outsider this person looks ridiculous. A study was performed to view how these people actually thought when put into a situation where they felt cognitive dissonance. The people who were tested argued plausible ideas against them and soon forgot what they were all together but they remembered the arguments about them that really had no backing and were somewhat silly. On the other hand they remembered almost all the plausible details from their side of the argument and blocked out many of the silly ones to make them seem like they had the better argument. This just shows that humans have the ability to think rationally but at the same time humans have a history of trying to rationalize their behaviors instead.