Frustration and Dissonance/Risk Frustration and Dissonance / Risk

Frustration and Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance has been extensively studied in social psychology as the effects of dissonance would cause dramatic changes in one's life. Cognitive dissonance is defined as an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The result of dissonance may be anxiety, blaming, and denying. Although, the latter may also occur as the result of frustration, frustration is a conflict which occurs when something happens against one's will. The ways of reducing dissonance and frustration are justifying, blaming, and denying. People's experiences can contradict with expectations. For example, my old car was a manual transmission car, very reliable, fuel efficient; however, I wanted to buy an automatic transmission car with built in GPS and more room. However, my new car is not meeting my expectations. I have given three speed tickets because I was used to drive manual transmission car that I had more control over my speed. The expenses of my new car are more than my former car such as insurance, gas and maintenance. I know that I made a good chose of the brand but sometimes my built-in GPS gets crazy and tries to take over the car....

A week ago, I was traveling to a destination where I have never been and the GPS started to tell me "MAKE a U-TURN," "MAKE a U-TURN" and it would not have stopped until I turned it off. I have to admit that I felt guilty spending much more money to upgrade my car when my old car was running perfectly. GPS technology is amazingly high-tech and complicated, and yet makes the life very easy since I do not need to open a map and try to foresee where I want to arrive in two hours or worry about the road constructions which would make me to define another trip plan. As a result of my dissociation, I accommodated the idea that high-tech products make the life easier only in moderation. On the other hand, I sometimes get frustrated not having enough technology. My grandmother sends me letters almost every week and I feel guilty not answering her letters but it would be much easier if she knew how to use the internet. I used to send her letters as soon as I received hers; with the time, the number of letters I sent back to her reduced and nowadays I use my computer to write letters to her and after printing I send it to her. As a result, I reduced my dissonance and at the same time she is happy to get my response letters.
Risk

The basic definition of technology…