From Cognitive Dissonance to Interpretive Drift, Research Paper Example

From Cognitive Dissonance to Interpretive drift- The Phoenix Lights

On March 13, 1997, the skies of Phoenix, Arizona skies were shining bright like lights on a Christmas tree. The Arizona eyewitnesses made sure to document this phenomenon with various types of evidence such as cameras, video, and a plethora of eyewitness accounts. The Phoenix Lights has the most evidence from people from all lifestyles, different cities, and different states that account for these UFO sightings. The military deemed these events flares from F-16’s and nothing more. However, several different Arizona communities and many other reputable sources reported the same V shape lights. The proof starts with hundreds of real eyewitnesses that did not have time to compare stories. Many families make live videos to record the event from the beginning until the V shaped lights disappeared from human sight. The commercial and private plane pilots report the same lights in the same exact description. In addition, the CNN newscast had pictures, vides and hundreds of confirm sightings. There has been enough documented proof from the Phoenix Lights incident could not be a hoax or flares from the F-16 burning in the sky. This single event disturbed the psychological peace of many witnesses because the thoughts of aliens or extraterrestrials were not in that person’s belief system. These events were either on television or someone in the newspaper wrote a column on UFO or even the radio station talking about UFOs. However, these citizens had to come face to face with the Phoenix Lights with first-hand accounts. It challenges everything they believe while they had to find a way to mentally deal with the new information concerning existence of aliens spaceships.

Analysis

The UFOCasebook (2015) discussed the how the incident could be true based on the investigation by the police of a crime. The crime was committed in broad daylight at the bank with 40 people in the bank. The police detective interview the people asking what happen and how many people rob the bank. The detective indicated they received 35 different descriptions of the same person. In the case of the Phoenix Lights, thousands of people were interviewed and every account of this event was exactly the same right down to the “V” like shape.  The number of times in history that any two witness had the same exact story is 1 billion to 1. The primary points of the UFOCasebook does not ask the person to believe in the extraterrestrial existence but rather how to disseminate true information from false. There are many unexplained phenomena’s in Earths universe however, the UFOCasebook theory is to at least settle your mind accepting different theories.

There are some people that believe that aliens or alien aircrafts exist because of the years of UFO sightings and they are those that have mental anguish trying to adapt to new ideas and explanations about the Phoenix Lights. The UFO scientists are having more success with exposure and validation of their arguments. The number of classified files from the military has been leaked over the years showing actual footage of the military investigating suspicious lights. The actual videos and camera shots of the worldwide UFO sights all make a compelling argument about the existence of other life forms in this universe. It does not matter which side is right and which side is wrong because the objective for humanity is always to seek new horizons such as the moon. It is not doubt the argument will go until the dawn of time but at least we can sit down and talk about the possibilities together.

Cognitive Dissonance

In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the effects of mental stress when a person is faced with two conflicting beliefs and values at the same time. In addition, the person experiences discomfort because new ideas or new information conflicts with their beliefs (Cognitiveresonance.org, 2015). The Phoenix Light causes some people to experience cognitive dissonance (stress) after capturing the Phoenix Light on camera. The Phoenix Lights challenge their own personal beliefs against the possiblity they did see an Alien spacecraft. In paranormal world, they have enough arguments about extraterrestrial beings that are flying space ships similar to Star Trek. The witnesses to “The Phoenix Light experiences the theory of cognitive dissonance because they suffer from mental anxiety. The anxiety comes from the sighting of “The Phoenix Lights’” that contradicted their previous beliefs about seeing extraterrestrial beings. The very thought of aliens goes against their own values and beliefs.

The UFO scientific communities are amazed by the eyewitness reports of alien presence including photographs, video, pictures, and other documented physical proof. The Phoenix, Arizona lights in 1997, make some compelling arguments from the phenomenal sights on that day. The scientific writers point to the Phoenix Lights incident as the turning point in identified light sources including sights on that night in five other cities (UFO Bookcase, 2014). The initial sightings of the Phoenix Lights was in an area called Superstition Mountains east around 7:00pm that evening. The first reports indicated six points of lights followed by a line of eight lights and a ninth light, which moved in unison.

Eyewitness Accounts

The eyewitness accounts of potential Alien sightings normally have problems with credibility concerning accounts of what happen that night of the Phoenix lights. Dr. Lynne Kitei was not a UFO follower not believer in extraterrestrial beings or space ships. She was describe as a well- distinguished physician that was well-grounded individual who was practical (Kitie, 2004). However, Dr. Lynne Kitei lends some accountability and credibility because she witnessed the Phoenix lights from her own bedroom window. The communities in the Phoenix and all across Arizona describe the exact same thing Dr. Lynne Kitei describe as nine lights moving in perfect unison but flying along silently shaped like a “V”(Kitie,2004).

The eyewitness accounts of potential Alien sightings normally have problems with credibility concerning accounts of what happen that night of the Phoenix lights. This is especially true in cases with one or two photos taken by one witness. The proof of aliens by researchers has relied on second hand information or inaccurate information. There has been an problem with authentication of video or photograph.

Military

The military has spent many years denying any existence of UFOs because they reference advance technology that makes it possible to manipulate and change graphics. However, there have been documented UFO events that the United States considered as undocumented and unconfirmed UFO objects in space. In March 2004, in Mexico they filmed 11 UFOs to show proof of alien spacecraft’s, however, this event was called an unexplained sighting by the military (UFOSightingsDaily.com, 2015). The Mexico UFO events are an example of the military dismissing UFO sightings including the Phoenix Lights.

The Federal Administration of Aviation indicated that F-16 from the military base often drop flares that are V shaped into the atmosphere. They discredited any film, witnesses, and camera shots however, they did not attack one person who witnessed the Phoenix Lights, Dr. Lynne D. Kitei. The military choose not to discredit Dr. Kitei because of her stellar educational background, medical accolades, and her established physician practice in Phoenix, Arizona.

Dr. Lynne Kitei was not a UFO follower not believer in extraterrestrial beings or space ships. She was describe as a well- distinguished physician that was well-grounded individual who was practical (Kitie, 2004). However, Dr. Lynne Kitei lends some accountability and credibility because she witnessed the Phoenix lights from her own bedroom window. The communities in the Phoenix and all across Arizona describe the exact same thing Dr. Lynne Kitei describe as nine lights moving in perfect unison but flying along silently shaped like a “V”(Kitie,2004).

The military normally would be the first to discredit Dr. Kitei however, she dedicated her life and resources into become the leading authority on the Phoenix Lighting in the world. In addition, anyone that claimed to have seen or videotape UFO sighting was quickly dismissed by the military as a person who was unstable, undocumented proof or UFO fanatic with the did not have credibility. However, this witness has changed that opinion because it was Dr. Lynne D. Kitei leading the way.

Dr. Lynne D. Kieter is an internationally known physician and medical educator with a successful practice in Phoenix, Arizona (The Phoenix Lights.net, 2010). The dedication of Dr. Kieter has made many critics and doubters comfortable because she does not try to make them go against their cognitive subconscious beliefs. The books, articles, and speeches conducted by Dr. Kieter only address the night of the Phoenix Lights. She does not pretend to be a scientist or a professional journalist nor a military detractor. The information shared is based on personal experiences, research, and personal eyewitness of the events.  This type of presentation should be used by everyone including the naysayers because one thing for sure the Phoenix Lights did happen.

References

Cognitiveresonance.org. (2015).Cognitive resonance: The world changes when we shift the way we see it. Retrieved from April 30, 2015 from http://www.cognitiveresonance.org/

Kitie, L, Perry, P. & Schwartz, G. (2004).The Phoenix Lights. Newburyport, MA. Hamptons Road Publishing Co.

The Phoenix Lights.net (2015).Phoenix Lights Network. Retrieved April 30, 2015 from http://www.thephoenixlights.net/

UFO Bookcase. (2014). UFO bookcase-UFO sightings, case files, photos, videos, Alien abductions. Retrieved May 1, 2015 from http://www.ufocasebook.com/