A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger 30jun1957 paperback paperback 1600. Leon festinger introduced the concept of cognitive dissonance as psychological tension in 1957. A theory of cognitive dissonance, book by leon festinger. Leon festinger introduced cognitive dissonance theory in a 1957 book, a theory of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance brings about a need to justify actions that are contradictory to our belief system. Cognitive dissonance theory leon festinger 1957 the feeling people have when they find themselves doing things that dont fit with what they know, or having opinions that do not fit with other opinions they hold. An example of this approach is cognitive dissonance theory festinger 1957. Following this, in 1957, festinger published his theory of cognitive dissonance, arguably his most famous and influential contribution to the field of social psychology. Another argument that may support the use of the environmental frame for animal advocacy is related with behavioral and attitudinal change. May 11, 2012 theory of cognitive dissonance the theory of cognitive dissonance has been the subject of interest and study of social psychologists in particular. Leon festinger was a hugely inspirational social psychologist, and is best known for his theory of cognitive dissonance. In this study, research participants were asked to spend an hour completing boring tasks for example, repeatedly loading spools onto a tray.
After completing his undergraduate studies, he attended the university of iowa where he received his ph. Introduced by leon festinger in 1957and since that time debated, refined, and debated again by psychologistscognitive dissonance is defined as the aversive state of arousal that occurs when a person holds two or more cognitions that are inconsistent with each other. A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger 30jun. Cognitive dissonance theory an overview sciencedirect. 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. A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger, paperback. Cognitive dissonance theory leon festinger 1957 pdf. Cite a theory of cognitive dissonance leon festinger. He tested the decisionmaking process in a cognitive dissonance experiment. Leon festingers theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its. Cognitive dissonance theory is applicable in all situations which involves formation and. But even before festinger was the greek fabulist aesop. When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors dissonance, something must change to eliminate the dissonance. Leon festinger was a wellknown american social psychologist.
The cognitive dissonance experiment is based on the theory of cognitive dissonance proposed by leon festinger in the year 1957. A theory of cognitive dissonance by festinger abebooks. In 1959, festinger and his colleague james carlsmith published an influential study showing that cognitive dissonance can affect behavior in unexpected ways. Cognitive dissonance 1 theory paper cognitive dissonance. Inconsistency among beliefs or behaviors will cause an uncomfortable psychological tension. Afra alex wakeford alice allan allison dixley amy brown amy romano ana schindler anna wise antonella gambottoburke. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. 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. Buy the paperback book a theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger at indigo. A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger 1 ratings, 4. A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger, 9780804709118, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Festinger s 1957 cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony dissonance. Cognitive dissonance and the trump reelection buzz at. This work is a clearly stated theory on how humans think, decide, and defend their decisions.
A person who experiences internal inconsistency tends to become psychologically uncomfortable and is motivated to reduce the cognitive dissonance. When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviors dissonance, something must change to eliminate the. 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. Cognitive theories of motivation rely on your thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes to explain your motivation. What is leon festingers theory of cognitive dissonance. 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 psychology edited by eddie harmonjones and judson mills. Green berets ultralight bug out bag with gear recommendations duration. Festinger s 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. The author contends that a state of impasse exists. Kop a theory of cognitive dissonance av leon festinger pa. Leon festinger, an introduction to the theory of cognitive.
The phrase cognitive dissonance was proposed by leon festinger, who presented the theory behind it in his 1957 book, a theory of cognitive dissonance. 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. Cognitive dissonance theory another form of consistency theory is cognitive dissonance theory, developed by leon festinger 1957. Start studying chapter 5cognitive dissonance theorymotivation. Leon festinger, born may 8, 1919, brooklyn, new york, u. In his seminal 1957 book on the subject, a theory of cognitive dissonance, festinger argued that in the presence of an inconsistency there is. In a time of abundant information, the risk of picking up only those data that support our previous convictions is always there. A cognitive dissonance theory perspective on the role of emotion in. Introduced by leon festinger in 1957 in his book, a theory of cognitive dissonance, the cognitive dissonance theory focuses on how we as human beings always strive hard to make sure that our beliefs and actions are aligned with each other. The study cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon studied by leon festinger most famously in his 1954 study involving 71 male students from stanford university. Born on 8th may, 1919, he was the pioneer of social comparison and cognitive dissonance. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Request pdf leon festinger leon festinger was one of the most important figures in modern. People hold many different cognitions about their world, e.
Festinger s theory said that when a person holds contradictory elements in cognition producing an unpleasant state called dissonance the person will work to bring the elements back into agreement or congruence. A theory of cognitive dissonance leon festinger download. Dissonance spring is an international small group meeting for researchers interested in cognitive conflict models with a focus on cognitive dissonance theory, to be held in may 2020. In his book a theory of cognitive dissonance 1957, he explained that human beings have an innate drive to maintain an internal consistency of thoughts. Books by leon festinger author of when prophecy fails.
Festinger s theory proposes that inconsistency among beliefs or behaviours causes an uncomfortable psychological tension i. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Strengths and weaknesses of the dissonance theory glossary references selftest. In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds two or more. The theory of dissonance is here applied to the problem of why partial reward, delay of reward, and effort expenditure during. That brings us to the next point, namely the categorization of cognitive dissonance theory. Festinger puts forward the idea that we have developed mechanisms to try to deal with the stress brought on by cognitive dissonance. Leon festinger, one such noted social psychologist, explained that people, in the course of their daily lives, hold a myriad of cognitions simultaneously.
What is cognitive dissonance, know its theory and examples. Cognitive dissonance theorya roller coaster career. Examples and practical applications of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance has achieved name recognition within popular culture there is no way to prove the theory wrong festinger never specified a reliable way to detect degrees of dissonance devine developed dissonance thermometer hypothetical, reliable gauge of the dissonance a person feels as a result of inconsistency. Leon festinger 8 may 1919 11 february 1989 was an american social psychologist, perhaps best known for cognitive dissonance and social comparison theory. Cognitive dissonance has been an important and influential theory since leon festinger published his classic work in 1957. Psychologist leon festinger is known for his theory of cognitive dissonance, which concerns our actions and attitudes. Cognitive dissonance theory in social psychology iresearchnet. The most famous and widely cited of these theories is cognitive dissonance cdt. One of the first published cases of dissonance was reported in this book. The theory of cognitive dissonance festinger, 1957. A theory of cognitive dissonance 9780804709118 by festinger, leon and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Jan 22, 2019 cognitive dissonance is defined as a state of mind where our belief does not match with our behaviour. Cognitive dissonance is the negative feeling that results from conflicting beliefs and behaviors.
A theory of cognitive dissonance quotes by leon festinger. Cognitive dissonance is a sensation that seems to derive from a conflict between the ideas, beliefs, and values of a certain subject and their behavior. Nov 11, 2011 the full length of the festinger experiment video. A theory of cognitive dissonance leon festinger haftad. Cognitive dissonance leon festinger according to cognitive dissonance theory, there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions i. Because there is an imbalance, or discomfort, cognitive dissonance is often considered to be negative.
The number of variations within this approach to selfevaluation regulation is also substantial. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Chapters in the book are divided into ones that state particular aspects of the theory followed by chapters with data that support the theory. He has the honor of establishing the experimentation techniques in social psychology to an advanced level.
Leon festinger and cognitive dissonance exploring your mind. Festinger argues that there are three possible relationships among cognitions thoughts, ideas. Uncover common thinking errors, discover the connection between motivational and dissonance processes and logically assess foolish beliefs. May 16, 2019 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Born on 8 th may, 1919, he was the pioneer of social comparison and cognitive dissonance theory. Festingers theory of cognitive dissonance can account for the psychological consequences of disconfirmed expectations. 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 psychology edited by eddie harmonjones. Cognitive dissonance theory cognitive dissonance theory was first developed by leon festinger in 1956 after the publication of a book when prophecy fails, written with coauthors henry w. In evaluating social interactions, i prefer a combination of dissonance theory by leon festinger and social identity theory as developed by henri tajfel and carried forward by john turner and michael hogg. 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 festinger s comments 30 years later in appendix b of cognitive dissonance progress on a pivotal theory in social.
Ty book ti a theory of cognitive dissonance au festinger, leon sp 291 cy stanford pb stanford university press py 1957. This is known as the principle of cognitive consistency. In the rest of the book many behavioural facts supporting the theory are put forward. 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. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Sep 28, 2016 before leon fessinger created experiments in 1957 he and his colleagues henry riecken and stanley schachter were interested in conditions under which disconfirmation of beliefs leads to increased conviction. Leon festinger s most popular book is when prophecy fails. Here, joel cooper presents a comprehensive analysis of the state of dissonance theory, charting the progress of the theory and assessing its impact. The international encyclopedia of communication theory and. A theory of cognitive dissonance by festinger, leon, 19191989. Leon festinger born may 8, 1919 february 11, 1989 was a social psychologist from new york city who became famous for his theory of cognitive dissonance. Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts. 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.
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. How did leon festinger discovered cognitive dissonance. Four revisions of cognitive dissonance theory have been proposed. Leon festingers theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its important and. Experiencing contradictory beliefs or ideas is stressful and uncomfortable, so usually people will try to. This is chapter one of leon festinger, a theory of cognitive dissonance. Keep reading for a brief biography of festinger and to learn more about.
In terms of psychology, its a mental discomfort associated with psychological stress experienced by a person, where the person holds on to more than one contradictory ideas, attitudes, or beliefs. The book puts forward a new theory that seems to reconcile these data and. A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon, festinger and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Leon festinger was the first to introduce and describe cognitive dissonance. Here are presented all the main aspects of the theory. Leon festinger s theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its important and influential concepts in areas of motivation and social psychology. In a theory of cognitive dissonance, first published in 1957, american social psychologist leon festinger investigates the problem. The psychologist leon festinger published his theory of cognitive dissonance in his 1957 book, a theory of cognitive dissonance. Buy a theory of cognitive dissonance anniversary ed. According to dissonance theory, selfesteem is threatened by inconsistency. Cognitive dissonance theory has been known to play out in several ways. Riecken and stanley schachter, to explain how members of a ufo doomsday cult increased their commitment to the cult when a prophesised destruction of the earth did not happen. Festinger earned his bachelor of science degree from the city college of new york in 1939.
In his book about cognitive dissonance theory, festinger also determined that there are three relationships between our thoughts, or cognition. Ty book ti a theory of cognitive dissonance au festinger, leon sp 291 cy stanford pb stanford university press py 1957 ur books. 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. In the years since, cognitive dissonance has become a central pillar of psychological theory, as was documented in the first edition of this book. This book and what is contained inside should be taken seriously and improved upon, it deserves much better than what it originally received. In 1954 leon festinger first posited a theory of cognitive dissonance to describe the psychological phenomenon that occurs in these situations. The theory of cognitive dissonance in psychology video. In a theory of cognitive dissonance 1957, leon festinger proposed that human beings strive. Popular cognitive dissonance books showing 120 of 20 mistakes were made but not by me. Psychologist leon festinger introduced the theory of cognitive dissonance, which is the discomfort people feel when their thoughts and actions dont align, in a famous study where he paid people. Leon festinger has 14 books on goodreads with 4201 ratings. Leon festingers theory of cognitive dissonance has been widely recognized for its important and influential concepts in areas of motivation and social psychology. A theory of cognitive dissonance by leon festinger, 1962, stanford university press edition. 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.