Cognitive Dissonance
1. Explain what cognitive dissonance is and how people avoid dissonance to maintain a positive self-image.
Cognitive dissonance is the feeling one has when two contradictory perceptions or views are held or recognized at the same time. Because people like to feel comfortable and have a positive self-image, they avoid cognitive dissonance by justifying one side of the equation—i.e., by squaring the circle through some logical fallacy or some subterfuge that is akin to self-deceit. Unable to dismiss one view or alter one’s perspective, values or beliefs even though they are rife with contradiction, one will affirm one’s self-identity without changing the contradiction but rather by affirming the contradiction and even one’s right to have contradictory sentiments. In fact, this was Tristan Tzara’s aim as a Dada poet—to simply embrace one’s absurdity. People today don’t do this so on the nose, but there is a level of unseriousness about people’s self-perception and self-analysis or self-criticism. There is a lack of critical thinking, or an unwillingness to engage with one’s thoughts or beliefs. The identity is all that matters, and so long as one can affirm a positive self-image, one can go on happily. Essentially, all it requires to overcome cognitive dissonance is to stop thinking. That’s where media comes into play—TV, Internet, devices—it all serves as a useful distraction to solve the problem of cognitive dissonance for us.
2. Provide one example of how cognitive dissonance is manifested in life? Submit an earnest reply. Seriously think about it.
One example of how cognitive dissonance is manifested in life can be seen in the recent Covid mask-wearing obsession that everyone was obliged to engage in for two years (and now that we have a new distraction in Ukraine the mask wearing obsession has been replaced). Even though many people believed a mask did nothing to “stop the spread” they still wore it and they justified this by saying “Well it’s better to go along or to show that you care” even though inside they were thinking the whole thing was absurd. Not everyone felt this way of course, but many people did.
3. Read the following article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/27/why-facts-dont-change-our-minds
4. Describe the different ways to change attitudes.
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