Although Festinger’s theory addressed the dissonance that results from everyday decision-making, his theory is arguably best known for its explanation of dissonance resulting from forced compliance. When an individual is forced to behave publicly, or make a public proclamation, that runs counter to his or her privately held beliefs, dissonance will result. Festinger hypothesized that it would depend on the magnitude of the dissonance, as well as the magnitude of the punishment (for noncompliance) or reward (for compliance), but that a change in attitude would likely occur. He explained, “the empirical question, of course, arises as to how one can identify and distinguish public compliance without private attitude change from instances where private opinion is also altered” (Festinger, 1957, p. 87). Festinger introduced a second concept – the magnitude of dissonance – that further distinguished his theory from other ‘inconsistency’ theories.
Educational Theory > Cognitive Dissonance Theory
In the Cognitive Consequences of Forced Compliance (1959), the investigators asked students to spend an hour doing tedious tasks; e.g. turning pegs a quarter-turn, at fixed intervals. The tasks were designed to induce a strong, negative, mental attitude in the subjects. Once the subjects had done drug addiction treatment the tasks, the experimenters asked some subjects to speak with another new subject about the tasks. Unknown to the subjects, this new subject was actually a confederate (an actor) and part of the research team. The subjects were directed to persuade the confederate that the tedious tasks were interesting and engaging.
- An alternative approach, known as self-perception theory, suggests that all individuals analyze their own behaviour much as an outside observer might and, as a result of these observations, make judgments about why they are motivated to do what they do.
- The above example suggests one way in which dissonance might be reduced, but Festinger’s original theory suggested several methods, some used more frequently than others.
- Based on his observations of individuals he believed to be self-actualized, including historical figures such as the U.S. presidents Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson, Maslow outlined a cluster of 14 characteristics that distinguish self-actualized individuals.
- A person shopping for a car, for example, will recognize advantages and disadvantages to any choice she might make; one car may be more expensive, another uses less gas, a third might enhance her image.
- In a study done in 2015, participants were shown “attitudinally consistent, challenging, or politically balanced online news.” Results showed that the participants trusted attitude-consistent news the most out of all the others, regardless of the source.
- In many cases this is the most difficult way to reduce dissonance – the runner can hardly expect to stop the thunderstorm, for example – but this is sometimes a viable option in social environments as opposed to physical ones (Festinger, 1957).
Changing the Environment
Although difficult cognitive dissonance and addiction to describe, peak experiences often involve a momentary loss of self and feelings of transcendence. Reports of peak experiences also include the feeling of limitless horizons opening up and of being simultaneously very powerful, yet weak. Peak experiences are extremely positive in nature and often cause an individual to change the direction of his or her future behaviour. Maslow believed that everyone is capable of having peak experiences, but he believed that self-actualized persons have these experiences more often.
- The children had a choice to make–play with the toy that they really wanted and face punishment, or ignore their desire for the toy.
- “The unforeseeable nature of the good consequence did not allow these participants to be free of their dissonance and the need to change their attitudes” (Cooper, 2007, p. 72).
- When the desired “something” is very important, we may have dissonant cognitions that make us tense and unhappy.
