A Review of Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Its Relevance to Current Social Issues

Abstract

More than 60 years ago, Cognitive Dissonance Theory was introduced by Leon Festinger (1957), and arguably, this classic theory is still relevant to this day. Festinger described that cognitive dissonance occurs whenever people are confronted with facts that contradict their beliefs, values, and ideas; they will thrive on finding a way to resolve the contradiction to reduce their discomfort. The theory applies to all social situations involving the formation and changes of human attitude, and it is particularly pertinent to the process of decision-making and problem-solving. The relevance of the theory is still reflected today in the era of the Internet-of-Things (IoT). The information overload and exposure of conflicting opinions on the Internet lead people to a state of mental fatigue where they become confused to seek the right information and may result in social and psychological conflicts. Hence, this review paper attempts to provide an overview of the classic theory by exploring the core assumptions of the theory, causes of dissonance, and the theoretical implications on current social issues. It is expected that the results of the review could provide a sound basis for further practical study within the field of social studies.

Reflections of Today’s Teens Behavior: From Impressions on Social Media to Cognitive Dissonance

“…After uploading the dinner selfie, Meredith's decision to switch to rice box dinner was a form of cognitive dissonance theory. In line with Yahya and Sukmayadi (2020) who review this theory as a depiction of the irrelevance between the individual's mind and psychosis so as to reduce her conflict, Meredith's desire to eat healthy food through the vegetable she prepared and photographed with Meredith's dinner that is actually consumed, is a form of dissonance.…”

“…Cognitive dissonance is one of the world's recognized theories with an approach to changing human behavior and social behavior (Yahya & Sukmayadi, 2020). The theory put forward by Festinger begins when individuals postulate the significance and relevance of a phenomenon cognitively (Harmon-Jones, 2019).…”

“…The inconsistency of individual cognitive thoughts and actions cannot be separated from their emotional side. Through the writings of Yahya and Sukmayadi (2020), Festinger describes situations as stages that trigger cognitive dissonance. The first is logical inconsistency, where individuals experience inconsistency in their thoughts arguments or beliefs that contradict each other; the second factor is cultural values, namely the existence of values and cultural aspects, where the cognitive thinking of individuals from one region will be different from other regions; the third is Forced Compliance Behavior; namely complications in the form of inconsistent behavior that forces a belief even though he already knows it is a wrong action; and the fourth is one's prior experience; in the form of belief in the experiences of others but the facts experienced by the individual contradict what is known from the person they believe.…”

Exploring the Role of Religious Studies in Developing Moral Values among Secondary Schools Learners in the Northern Region of Lesotho

“…Developed by Leon Festinger in 1957, CDT explores the interplay of perceptions, motivations, and thoughts within an individual. According to Yahya and Sukmayadi [16], "cognition" in this theory refers to an individual's knowledge about themselves or their environment. The theory suggests that two cognitions can be either relevant or irrelevant to each other.…”

Review of Conservation of Resources Theory in Job Demands and Resources Model

“…According to Kim et al (2016), prominent theories that fall into this class of hedonistic motivation theories are; dissonance theory (Yahya & Sukmayadi, 2020), self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987) and equity theory (Walster et al, 1973). Freud (1970) pleasure principle, McLeod (2007) hierarchy of needs and Bandura (1977) social learning theory are associated with this category of theories.…”