Cognitive
Dissonance
Learning Theory
Learning Objective
Understand the Cognitive Dissonance
Identify the 3 Stages of Fundamental Assumptions
Understand the Hierarchy of Needs
What is Cognitive
Dissonance Theory
Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflict
attitudes, belief or behaviors.
This produce a feeling of discomfort leading to an
alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors to
reduce discomfort and restore balance.
For exam, when people smoke ( behavior) and they know
that smoking causes cancer ( Cognition).
4
Festingers (1957)
cognitive dissonance theory suggest that we have an inner
drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and
avoid disharmony or dissonance.
Attitudes may change because of the factors within the
person.
This theory starts from the idea that seek consistency in
our beliefs and attitudes in any situation where two
cognitive are inconsistent.
4
Leon Festingers (1957)
Proposed cognitive dissonance theory which states that a
powerful motive to maintain cognitive consistency can give
rise to irrational and sometimes maladaptive behavior.
According to festinger, we hold many cognitions about the
world and ourselves when they clash, a discrepancy is
evoked, resulting in a state of tension known as cognitive
dissonance.
4
3 Fundamental Assumptions
1. Humans are sensitive to inconsistences 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
4
3 Fundamental Assumptions
2. Recognition of this inconsistency will cause
dissonance, and will motivate an individual to resolve the
dissonance.
The degree of dissonance will vary with the importance of
your belief/ attitude/ principle and with the degree of
inconsistency between your behavior and this belief.
4
3 Fundamental Assumptions
3. Dissonance will be resolve in one of three basic ways:
Change Beliefs
Change Action
Change perception of Action
4
How to Reduce Cognitive
Dissonance
There are three key strategies to reduce or minimize cognitive
dissonance:
Focus on more supportive beliefs that outweigh the dissonant
belief or behavior.
Reduce the importance of the conflicting belief
Change the conflicting belief so that it is consistent with other
beliefs or behaviors.
4
Maslow Hierarchy of needs
4
Hierarchy of Needs
1. Physiological Needs- our basic needs for survival and this will be
first thing that motivates our behavior. The human body cannot
function optimally if physiological needs are not satisfied.
2. Safety and Security needs- people want to experience order,
predictability and control in their lives.
3. Love and Belonging needs- refers to human emotional need for
interpersonal relationships, affiliating, connectedness, and being
part of a group.
4
Hierarchy of Needs
4. Self-Esteem need- are fourth level in Maslows hierarchy and
include self- worth, accomplishment and respect.
5. Self Actualization need- are the highest level in Maslow’s
hierarchy, and refersh to the realization of a person’s potential,
self- fulfillment, seeking personal growth, and peak experiences.
4
Maslow Hierarchy of needs
4
THE END
https://www.slideshare.net/mohammadsohaibaf
zaal/cognitive-dissonance-theory-34849244
