Cognitive Dissonance Theory – What Do You Think?

I think cognitive dissonance has been misinterpreted. it arises from a conflict between two perceptions. it is a defense mechanism.

it is a way of misrepresenting what you actually believe about an action, product or opinion.

here is an example. you buy a car, and someone tells you either the car is inferior , or you could have purchased the same car for a lower price. your response is a justification of your action to defend yourself from looking foolish in the eyes of another person.

cognitive dissonance entails making an excuse that might be socially acceptable, when you wish you had not taken the action in the first place.

I could think of an example in audio, when someone buys a solid state amplifier and the result is a degradation in the sound of his stereo system.

when someone points this out, a cognitive dissonance is created and some explanation is offered for the purchase, to justify it.

of course, with foresight, one can avoid such instances, or "mistakes", which are sometimes cited by another person, which often causes discomfort and results in a white lie.

Mrtennis ...

cognitive dissonance entails making an excuse that might be socially acceptable, when you wish you had not taken the action in the first place

I suppose anyone might create a socially acceptable justification to try to excuse stupid behavior that one subsequently realizes was stupid. That seems perfectly intuitive to me; however, it is not what Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance is about.

The theory of cognitive dissonance is completely counter-intuitive. It isn’t about making excuses to other people for actions you wish you had not taken. It’s about the mere fact of having taken an action as being the basis for the formation of a subsequent cognition.

The second example “when someone buys a solid state amplifier and the result is a degradation in the sound” is a much better example of cognitive dissonance assuming that the buyer of the amplifier actually believes his “explanation … offered for the purchase” and in no way regrets his purchase even though the sound has been degraded.

I regret everything...

Here's the experimental example of Cognitive Dissonance that I remember from college: If you ask folks in a neighborhood to display a 3x6 foot sign in their yard to promote seat belt use, almost all of them say "No." If you ask a different sample of folks in the same neighborhood if they will sign a _petition_ regarding seat belt usage, almost all of them say "Yes." The kicker is, if you go back and ask the petition-signers if they will put the big-ass sign in their yard, a whole lot of them will now say "Yes." They don't want to behave for it and against it; that would be cognitive dissonance. Allowing the big sign allays the dissonance.

cognitive dissonance is the result of holding two conflicting perceptions. it results in a defense mechanism. "sour grapes", is another example.

it results from wanting the grapes, and realizing that the grapes are unattainable. consequently the goal of getting the grapes is devalued.

the example I gave using the purchase of a solid state amp, and being dissatisfied with it , is also a case of two conflicting desires, "I want something", "I got it and i'm not happy about". one then may defend one's ego against criticism which may be uttered by other listeners of the stereo system. such an action is another example of the outcome of holding two opposing perceptions, which I think is the basis for festinger's theory.

many people defend the ego, whenever possible. they may fool others but they don't fool themselves. hence they become defensive.