Cognitive Dissonance: Timeshare Presentations, Research Paper Example

Abstract

Internal consistency is an important part of personal development. The focus of a person towards a single set of beliefs gives a distinct sense of how he develops as an individual. Particularly though, as a person develops into maturity, his beliefs begin to be challenged by outside information that are usually new to him. These beliefs intend to change the thinking pattern of a person as well as to how he understands particular matters that affect him as an individual.

In the discussion that follows, the value of cognitive dissonance in determining the existence of confusion in a person’s particular pattern of thinking shall be better given attention to through the comparison between the researches that was handled before by Leon Festinger and two other contemporary researchers who have had the chance to explore issues related to the said matter thus intending to make a definite impact on how cognitive dissonance is able to make a difference on how individuals at present deal with the situation given different issues that they have to deal with in comparison with others in the past.

Cognitive Dissonance Research

Introduction

The existence of cognitive dissonance in a person could take simple forms such as a person who wants donuts at first but in the process of learning about what donuts are made up of, that person begins to dislike donuts, not necessarily because of the change of his taste perception but because of his changing attitude towards food and its value for his health. While this does not necessarily impose massive confusion on the thinking of the individual concerned, it does infuse a sense of relative dissonance that breaks down the foundation of his own belief because of new understandings that basically changes his way of thinking and his perception over the food choices he makes. Based on two particular articles, this change of attitude empowered by an individual’s change of thinking shall be better examined.

Review of First Article

Through the process of experimentation, the research of Harmon-Jones and Brehm (et al, 2006) have basically provided a distinct indication on how cognitive dissonance could actually occur even without the presence of aversion of consequences. Which means that introduction of new beliefs is not necessary for one to change his attitude and thinking towards one matter. Instead, a sudden change in the environment could eventually make a difference on how a person perceives a certain issue as it relates to himself and/or towards his personality. In the experiment, the participants have undergone a particular process of liking a particular item and later on were convinced otherwise with regards the item and a relative number of participants proved that there are instances that such manipulation of dissonance do not work fully. This article was able to prove that there are times when aversion of cognition does not fully work or at times, it is not needed for confusion or change of thinking to occur in an individual.

Review of Second Article

In the article by Aronson and Carlsmith (2003) entitled. Effect of the severity of threat on the devaluation of forbidden behavior, the determination of threat of punishment as an aversion tool has been measured accordingly as to how it actually affects the being of the individual especially in avoiding particular practices that he already considered to be unworthy of doing or something that needs to be feared. In this experiment, the capacity of individuals to engage in something that has been fully directed by their superiors has been measured accordingly. Relatively, it could be noted that somehow, in this research, it has been shown that people take particular options of changing their ideas and reactions on particular matters especially when they are specifically directed to make such changes. Considerably, this research proves that when it comes to responding to matters, it is important for a person to receive a particular direction in order for particular changes to occur.

Article Comparison and Contrast

Between these particular articles, it has been proven that there are particular elements that make it possible for people to respond in a specific manner towards a distinct situation that they need to consider as part of the regular activities they undergo in a day. While the involvement of aversion patterns may not be fully necessary, the existence of these matters is necessary in order for such conditions of changes to occur especially in completely creating an effect of dissonance that could relatively create a sense of confusion among those who are involved in a particular matter that basically challenges the original foundation of their beliefs. Both articles were also able to create a properly mandated direction on imposing how the changing situations impose a definite change on the thinking, attitude and reactions of people involved in the said events of transformation.

Conclusion

Noticeably, it could be realized from the collection of the articles reviewed herein, change in thinking as defined to be fully contributed by the changing situations in the environment that one exists in [especially among those who are involved with people who have different thinking patterns that they do]. The ways by which the belief of a person is challenged basically creates a massive impact on how one’s thinking is transformed through time, which also creates determination on how the attitude of such individual have changed from one point o development towards another era of personal growth.

References:

Aronson, E.; Carlsmith, J.M. (2003). “Effect of the severity of threat on the devaluation of forbidden behavior”. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 66 (6): 584–588.

Harmon-Jones, E.; Brehm, J.W.; Greenberg, J.; Simon, L.; Nelson, D.E. (2006). “Evidence that the production of aversive consequences is not necessary to create cognitive dissonance” (PDF). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 70 (1): 5–16.