Ty book ti a theory of cognitive dissonance au festinger, leon sp 291 cy stanford pb stanford university press py 1957 ur. For each area of application special theoryelements are generated by introducing new terms and special laws. All books are in clear copy here, and all files are secure so dont worry about it. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This article was originally published in the encyclopedia of. A theory of cognitive dissonance paperback january 1, 1957 by leon festinger author. In general, social psychologists, always looking for the next great theory, seemed to have shelved this book and its concepts within a couple of decades after it came out in 1957 see leon festingers comments 30 years later in appendix b of cognitive dissonance progress on a. Cognitive dissonance 1 theory paper cognitive dissonance.
When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors dissonance, something must change to eliminate the. Leon festinger 8 may 1919 11 february 1989 was an american social psychologist, perhaps best known for cognitive dissonance and social comparison theory. His theories and research are credited with renouncing the previously dominant behaviorist view of social psychology by demonstrating the inadequacy of stimulusresponse conditioning accounts of human behavior. The psychologist leon festinger published his theory of cognitive dissonance in his 1957 book, a theory of cognitive dissonance. The theory has wide implications and applications to a variety of contexts.
Leon festinger first published the theory in 1957 and it is still widely used in research cooper, 2007. A theory of cognitive dissonance by festinger, leon, 19191989. Festingers 1957 cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony dissonance. The cognitive dissonance experiment is based on the theory of cognitive dissonance proposed by leon festinger in the year 1957. This site is like a library, you could find million book here by using search box in the header. Inasmuch as festinger s theory is concerned with attitude change and attempts to discern how persuasive messages are processed in the minds of listeners, there is no doubt that it may be regarded as a communication theory. In general, social psychologists, always looking for the next great theory, seemed to have shelved this book and its concepts within a couple of decades after it came out in 1957 see leon festingers comments 30 years later in appendix b of cognitive dissonance progress on a pivotal theory in social. Leon festinger, an introduction to the theory of cognitive. This is known as the principle of cognitive consistency. He suggested that people have an inner need to ensure that their beliefs and behaviors are consistent.
Festingers 1957 cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and behavior in harmony and avoid disharmony or dissonance. Cognitive dissonance theory was first developed by festinger 1957. It is also a prime example of how creative thinking and problem solving skills can come together to produce work that changes the way people look at. The basic theoryelement of dissonance theory does not correspond to the general form of the theory presented by festinger, but is a considerable simplification thereof. Cognitive dissonance leon festinger according to cognitive dissonance theory, there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions i. The theory of cognitive dissonance is what resulted from his research festinger, 1957. Two cognitions are consonant if one follows from the. Cognitive dissonance theory has been known to play out in several ways. This work is a clearly stated theory on how humans think, decide, and defend their decisions. People hold many different cognitions about their world, e. An introduction to cognitive dissonance theory and an.
Here are presented all the main aspects of the theory. But even before festinger was the greek fabulist aesop. The original version of the theory leon festinger formulated the original theory of cognitive dissonance in the mid1950s, and the first formal and complete presentation of the theory appeared in 1957. Introduction the theory of cognitive dissonance, developed by festinger 1957 1, states that if a person holds two cognitions that are inconsistent with one another, he will experience dissonance and will try to reduce it in one of the three ways. A theory of cognitive dissonance download pdfepub ebook. The theory of cognitive dissonance festinger, 1957. Nevertheless, festinger might be considered as the first person who formulated these notions in a precise and applicable form, by providing implications in a variety of contexts. According to cognitive dissonance theory, there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions i. One key aspect of cognitive dissonance theory is that individuals experience a mental discomfort after taking actions that appear to be in con. Cognitive dissonance theory, developed by leon festinger 1957, is concerned with the relationships among cognitions. Leon festinger was the first psychologist to study cognitive dissonance around the 1950s, and his works, such as books and experiments, helped to shed light on the ways in which humans act to decrease cognitive dissonance. In a time of abundant information, the risk of picking up only those data that support our previous convictions is always there. Because these theories rely on cognitions, which can be about anything, cdt and other cognitive theories of motivation are the most powerful and flexible theories out there. When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors dissonance, something must change to eliminate the dissonance.
Leon festinger, born may 8, 1919, brooklyn, new york, u. A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger 30jun. The basic theory element of dissonance theory does not correspond to the general form of the theory presented by festinger, but is a considerable simplification thereof. For each area of application special theory elements are generated by introducing new terms and special laws. Cognitive dissonance theory leon festinger 1957 pdf. For example, cognitive dissonance has explainedex post justi. Publication date 1962 topics adaptability psychology, dissonance cognitive, cognitieve dissonantie. A social and psychological study of a modern group that predicted the end of the world university of minnesota press. Book ti a theory of cognitive dissonance au festinger, leon sp 291 cy stanford pb stanford university. Festinger proposed that people experience discomfort when they hold. Festinger 1957 cited under core books considered three ways to cope with cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is one of the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology.
Festingers 1957 cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony or dissonance. Cognitive dissonance as defined by the book, the distressing mental state caused by inconsistency between a persons two beliefs or a belief and an action, 200. Originally published in the journal of abnormal and social psychology in 1959, cognitive consequences of forced compliance by leon festinger and james carlsmith was the first of numerous studies to corroborate the. In a theory of cognitive dissonance 1957, leon festinger proposed that human beings strive for internal psychological consistency to function mentally in the real world. This is chapter one of leon festinger, a theory of cognitive dissonance. Attitudes may change because of factors within the person. May 19, 2014 festingers 1957 cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony or dissonance. Leon festinger went to boys high school and acquired a bachelors degree in science at city college, new york in 1939. This article was originally published in the encyclopedia. Inconsistent or conflicting beliefs lead to disharmony, which people strive to avoid. A person who experiences internal inconsistency tends to become psychologically uncomfortable and is motivated to reduce the cognitive dissonance. The study cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon studied by leon festinger most famously in his 1954 study involving 71 male students from stanford university. That brings us to the next point, namely the categorization of cognitive dissonance theory.
As presented by festinger in 1957, dissonance theory began by postulating that pairs of cognitions elements of knowledge can be relevant or irrelevant to one another. Inconsistency among beliefs or behaviors will cause an uncomfortable psychological tension. If two cognitions are relevant to one another, they are either consonant or dissonant. This robust theory suggests that a motivational state of inner tension is triggered by logically inconsistent ways of thinking. Read online cognitive dissonance theory leon festinger 1957 book pdf free download link book now. Cognitivedissonancetheory after50yearsofdevelopment. Cognitive dissonance theory wicklund and brehm 1976 commented on the 20year history of dissonance theory by observing, to the extent that dissonance theory has evolved since 1957, the evolution has been primarily due to the discovery that responsibility is a prerequisite for effects that we call dissonance reduction p. Leon festinger s theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its important and influential concepts in areas of motivation and social psychology. Cognitive dissonance theory warns that people have a bias to seek consonance among their cognitions. In the rest of the book many behavioural facts supporting the theory are put forward. Show why other ways to reduce dissonance like avoidance will not work 7.
Originally published in the journal of abnormal and social psychology in 1959, cognitive consequences of forced compliance by leon festinger and james carlsmith was the first of numerous studies to corroborate the theory of cognitive dissonance. Cite a theory of cognitive dissonance leon festinger. Cognitive dissonance introduction leon festinger published in 1957. The theory that a person may reduce cognitive dissonance by changing their thoughts or decisions was not supported by the results. The theory of dissonance is here applied to the problem of why partial reward, delay of reward, and effort expenditure during training result in increased resistance to extinction. Festinger subsequently published a book called a theory of cognitive dissonance, published in 1957, in which he outlines the theory. Festinger theorized that, when an individual holds two or more elements of knowledge that are relevant to each other but inconsistent with one another,astate of. Theorist biography leon festinger, 1919 1989, was born to russianjewish immigrants alex festinger and sara solomon festinger in brooklyn, new york. Smoking o it is dangerous for my health o i smoke cigarettes. The advances in the history of cognitive dissonance theory.
Festinger 1957 explains the same processes in his cognitive dissonance theory. Leon festinger s 1957 a theory of cognitive dissonance is a key text in the history of psychology one that made its author one of the most influential social psychologists of his time. Show that dissonance can hurt selfesteem or increases guilt 5. An important factor here is the principle of cognitive consistency, the focus of festingers 1957 theory of. Cognitive dissonance is acting different from your beliefs, leading to feelings of anxiety, guilt, or other emotions. Leon festinger developed the cognitive dissonance theory festinger, 1957 dissonance occurs when a person perceives a logical inconsistency in their beliefs, when one idea implies the opposite of another. Psychologist leon festinger first proposed a theory of cognitive dissonance centered on how people try to reach internal consistency. Inasmuch as festingers theory is concerned with attitude change and attempts to discern how persuasive messages are processed in the minds of listeners, there is no doubt that it may be regarded as a communication theory. Festingers theory of cognitive dissonance springerlink. Leon festingers theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its important and influential concepts in areas of motivation and social psychology. Theory of cognitive dissonance as it pertains to morality. Leon festinger formulated the original theory of cognitive dissonance in the mid1950s, and the first formal and complete presentation of the theory appeared in 1957. In an event wherein some of these cognitions clash, an unsettled state of tension occurs and this is called. His theories and research are credited with renouncing the previously dominant behaviorist view of social psychology by demonstrating the inadequacy.
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