Does the theory of cognitive dissonance viably extend to include justification of effort as a product of cognitive dissonance? Why or why not?
Post your take on the theme of situations and people are not always as they appear to belife can be deceptive.
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August 5, 2017Does the theory of cognitive dissonance viably extend to include justification of effort as a product of cognitive dissonance? Why or why not?
Does the theory of cognitive dissonance viably extend to include justification of effort as a product of cognitive dissonance? Why or why not? How could any cognitive dissonance created by justification of effort be reduced?
The theory of cognitive dissonance tells states that cognitive dissonance occurs when a person experiences an uncomfortable tension that stems from holding conflicting thoughts. Cognitive dissonance can also occur when there is a discrepancy between a persons attitude towards something and their behavior. Cognitive dissonance does include justification of effort as a product to cognitive dissonance. People often use external justification to defend why they thought or acted a certain way that is against their own beliefs (Chiou & Wan, 2007). They believe that it is not the person himself or herself, but instead the circumstances that created the situation that goes against their beliefs.
When a person tries to justify why they thought or acted a certain way that is against their personal beliefs this in itself causes cognitive dissonance. The more personal responsibility a person takes for their thoughts or behavior, the greater cognitive dissonance a person feels. When personal responsibility is taken for thoughts or behaviors the more difficult it is to use external justification to justify why they acted the way they did. There are a number of ways to change the cognitive dissonance created by this
situation. A person can decide to change their behavior to match their own beliefs or a person can change what they believe. People that feel they have put a lot of effort into the cause of the conflicting thought or behavior have a harder time changing their behavior and will often resort to changing their beliefs to match the conflicting thought or behavior. People that do not feel they have put as much effort in will more often resort to changing the behavior (Chiou & Wan, 2007). Both options have consequences and an individual has to make the conscious decision as to which option they will take.
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