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--- cognitive_dissonance_theory [2015/09/09 09:46] – hkimscil
+++ cognitive_dissonance_theory [2015/09/09 10:41] – hkimscil
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
   - Humans are sensitive to inconsistencies between actions and beliefs.
     * According to the theory, we all recognize, at some level, when we are acting in a way that is inconsistent with our beliefs/attitudes/opinions. In effect, there is a built in alarm that goes off when we notice such an inconsistency, whether we like it or not. For example, if you have a belief that it is wrong to cheat, yet you find yourself cheating on a test, you will notice and be affected by this inconsistency.
   - Recognition of this inconsistency will cause dissonance, and will motivate an individual to resolve the dissonance.
     * Once you recognize that you have violated one of your principles, according to this theory, you won’t just say "oh well". You will feel some sort of mental anguish about this. The degree of dissonance, of course, will vary with the importance of your belief/attitude/principle and with the degree of inconsistency between your behavior and this belief. In any case, according to the theory, the greater the dissonance the more you will be motivated to resolve it.
   - Dissonance will be resolved in one of three basic ways:
     - Change beliefs
@@ Line 39: / Line 37: @@
   * Festinger, L. (1956). When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of A Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World, by Leon Festinger, Henry Riecken, and Stanley Schachter. Harper-Torchbooks, Jan. 1956. [[amazon(0061311324)]]
+.
 {{1964_When_Prophecy_Fails_Festinger.jpg?80 }}
 A headline, "prophecy from planet Clarion call to city: flee that flood" in a local newspaper, sating there is a book written by Marian Keech in Michigan state arguing that the world will end in a great flood dawn on December 21, 1954. She and her believer started to prepare for the end of the world - later the cult became scientology.  They had left jobs, college, and spouses, and had given away money and possessions to prepare for their departure on the flying saucer, which was to rescue the group of true believers.
 -
- Festinger and his colleague found that people didn't change their attitudes toward the beliefs even after the prophecy failed. . . .
+Festinger and his colleague found that people didn't change their attitudes toward the beliefs even after the prophecy failed. . . .
 Make people quit smoking? (public health campaign)
- How would you design the message (information) to //persuade// to quit smoking?
+How would you design the message (information) to //persuade// to quit smoking?
- -- By addressing mortality problem, health problem, social stigma associated with smoking in order to change the person's behavior.
+  * By addressing mortality problem, health problem, social stigma associated with smoking in order to change the person's behavior.
- -- Will they stop?
+  * Will they stop?
- -- If yes, people would not have started smoking in the first place . . . .
+  * If yes, people would not have started smoking in the first place . . . .
-== Cognitive Dissonance ==
+====== Cognitive Dissonance ======
-__Boring experiment__
+  ? __Boring experiment__
- Students were asked to spend an hour on boring and tedious tasks. The tasks were designed to generate a strong, negative attitude. After the experiment, the experimenters asked some of them to do a simple favor. They were asked to talk to another subject (actually an actor) and persuade them that the tasks were interesting and engaging. Some participants were paid $20 (inflation adjusted to 2009, this equates to $148.40) for this favor, another group was paid $1 (or $7.42 in "2009 dollars"), and a control group was not asked to perform the favor.
+  : Students were asked to spend an hour on boring and tedious tasks. The tasks were designed to generate a strong, negative attitude. After the experiment, the experimenters asked some of them to do a simple favor. They were asked to talk to another subject (actually an actor) and persuade them that the tasks were interesting and engaging. Some participants were paid $20 (inflation adjusted to 2009, this equates to $148.40) for this favor, another group was paid $1 (or $7.42 in "2009 dollars"), and a control group was not asked to perform the favor.
+  : Those who got paid one dollar showed more positive attitudes toward the experiment -- //It was interesting. . . .!//
- Those who got paid one dollar showed more positive attitudes toward the experiment -- //It was interesting. . . .!//
+  ? __Theory__
+  : This is the feeling people have when they "find themselves doing things that don't fit with what they know, or having opinions that do not fit with other opinions they hold" (Festinger, 1957, p.4).
-__Theory__
+<figure>{{ProcessOfCognitiveDissonance.jpg?400|Process of Cognitive Dissonance}} <caption>Process of Cognitive Dissonance</caption></figure>
-This is the feeling people have when they "find themselves doing things that don't fit with what they know, or having opinions that do not fit with other opinions they hold" (Festinger, 1957, p.4).
+Individuals use cognitive structures for organizing new information -- **Schemata**. When new information is **inconsistent** with the cognitive structures that have been built previously, **dissonance** occurs.
-[[Attachment(ProcessOfCognitiveDissonance.jpg,width=400,caption="Process of Cognitive Dissonance",align=left)]]  Individuals use cognitive structures for organizing new information -- **Schemata**. When new information is **inconsistent** with the cognitive structures that have been built previously, **dissonance** occurs.
 A state of dissonance = A state of disequilibrium
@@ Line 71: / Line 72: @@
   //There should be no speed limit on the highway.// vs. //Fat people should not be discriminated.//
-Core of the theory posits that:
+Core of the theory posits that: Discomfort caused by dissonance **motivates** (opinion, behavior) change.
- Discomfort caused by dissonance **motivates** (opinion, behavior) change.
+-> This is the point where persuasive communication occur.
- -> This is the point where persuasive communication occur.
+-> Persuader focuses on inconsistency while providing new behavior that allow for consistency or balance.
- -> Persuader focuses on inconsistency while providing new behavior that allow for consistency or balance.
+  ? __Belief__
+  : It is important to give back to the community.
+  : I have been blessed with good fortune.
+  : People who have good fortune should share it with other.
+  : The only way the community will prosper is if we all do our share.
-{{|
+  ? __Attitude__
-__Belief__
+  : I like to volunteer my time for the good of others.
- It is important to give back to the community.
- I have been blessed with good fortune.
- People who have good fortune should share it with other.
- The only way the community will prosper is if we all do our share.
-__Attitude__
- I like to volunteer my time for the good of others.
-__Behavior__
- I tutor at the Literacy center twice a month.
-|}}
-=== Assumptions ===
+  ? __Behavior__
+  : I tutor at the Literacy center twice a month.
+===== Assumptions =====
   * Human beings desire consistency in their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.
   CDT suggests that human being has a such nature to make things consistent (in their mind). (Attribute based perspective)
-  * Dissonance is created by psychological inconsistencies.
+  * Dissonance is created by psychological inconsistencies. Inconsistency should occur in one psychological state (rather than logical state)
-  Inconsistency should occur in one psychological state (rather than logical state)
+  * Dissonance is an aversive state that drives people to action with measurable effects. People do not enjoy dissonance state; it is an uncomfortable state.
-  * Dissonance is an aversive state that drives people to action with measurable effects.
+  * Dissonance motivates efforts to achieve consonance and efforts toward dissonance reduction. People do something in order to achieve consonant state.
-  People do not enjoy dissonance state; it is an uncomfortable state.
-  * Dissonance motivates efforts to achieve consonance and efforts toward dissonance reduction.
+===== Concepts =====
-  People do something in order to achieve consonant state.
+  ? __Magnitude of dissonance__
-=== Concepts ===
+  : There are degrees of discomfort -- not all dissonance is created equally.
-__Magnitude of dissonance__
- There are degrees of discomfort -- not all dissonance is created equally.
- This magnitude are affected by three factors:
-. **Perceived importance** : refers to how significant the issue is.
-. **Dissonance ratio** : the amount of consonant cognitions relative to the dissonant ones. The proportion of incongruent idea.
-. **Ability to justify** (rationalize) : If you have more ability to justify the in-congruency, you will get less discomfort.
-. **Perception** :
-   a. Selective exposure
-   a. Selective attention
-   a. Selective interpretation
-   a. Selective hold of information
-=== Persuasion ===
+This magnitude are affected by three factors:
+  - **Perceived importance** : refers to how significant the issue is.
+  -  **Dissonance ratio** : the amount of consonant cognitions relative to the dissonant ones. The proportion of incongruent idea.
+  -  **Ability to justify** (rationalize) : If you have more ability to justify the in-congruency, you will get less discomfort.
+  -  **Perception** :
+    -  Selective exposure
+    - Selective attention
+    - Selective interpretation
+    - Selective hold of information
+===== Persuasion =====
 //Postdecision theory//??? The state of consonance and dissonance arises after one's decision (of behavior).
-__Buyer's remorse__:
+__Buyer's remorse__
   * After spending more than you feel okay with on a new home, car, vacation, on a woman or some other luxury item, you have to rationalize your spending.
   * Sellers and real estate agents make phone calls (and do other things) to convince (or provide) the buyers to think that the decision was excellent. Realtors encourage buyers to make a pro and con list -- then, lead them to put something like gourmet kitchen, Jacuzzi tub, breathtaking views, etc. This lead is an effort to let buyers reduce any dissonance that may occur.
@@ Line 121: / Line 118: @@
 __B oomerang effect__
   * If you create too much dissonance, the buyers (people) may decide to avoid the information or even dislike you, instead of changing their behavior.
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-CategoryTheory