Cognitive Dissonance - Weebly

[Pages:31]Cognitive Dissonance

Introduction to Cognitive Dissonance

Developed by Leon Festinger (1919-1989): PhD from the University of Iowa Winner of the American Psychological Association's

Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award

Introduction to Cognitive Dissonance

How the idea of cognitive dissonance developed: Festinger studied a UFO cult in the 1950s.

The group was led by Marian Keech, a homemaker who believed that the earth would end on Dec. 21, 1954 and that she (along with followers) would be rescued by aliens.

Even though the earth did not end, many of Keech's followers continued to believe strongly in her ideas.

Festinger's question: Why did the cult members not reject the ideas of their leader even after she was proven wrong?

Introduction to Cognitive Dissonance

How the idea of cognitive dissonance developed:

Festinger studied earthquake rumors in India.

He noticed that people living outside where the earthquake occurred spread rumors about even greater earthquakes that had destroyed outlaying regions

Festinger's question: Why did these false rumors emerge and why did they spread so quickly?

Introduction to Cognitive Dissonance

How the idea of cognitive dissonance developed: In 1957, Festinger published A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance.

The theory seeks to explain what happens when people hold contradictory cognitions (ideas):

Examples of cognitive dissonance: * Believing the world will end and seeing the world has not ended. * A mother, who believes that her son is a good boy, learns that he is a killer.

* A preacher, who thinks he is righteous, finds himself tempted to sin. ? A person who hates speeders finds that in order to not miss a flight, she has

to drive 85 mph.

Why study cognitive dissonance?

Understanding cognitive dissonance can help in crafting communication campaigns aimed at curbing harmful behaviors: A. Almost everyone wants to live a long life. Yet, why do smokers continue to smoke even after they learn that smoking kills?

Why study cognitive dissonance?

Understanding cognitive dissonance can help in crafting communication campaigns aimed at curbing harmful behaviors: B. Almost everyone wants to live a long life. Yet, why do we continue to eat food that clogs our arteries and can cause heart attacks?

Why study cognitive dissonance?

Understanding cognitive dissonance can help in crafting communication campaigns aimed at curbing harmful behaviors: C. Almost everyone wants to live a long life. Yet, why do we continue to drink in amounts that put us at risk and can even kill us?

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