Cognitive dissonance: Why do we think one thing and do the opposite? – Online Psychologists

Sometimes we experience the sensation of thinking one thing and then doing another. We do this unconsciously and we do not realize that we have two totally incompatible ideas. It is common that these situations in which we do the opposite of what we think generate tension or discomfort. This sensation that we feel is called cognitive dissonance.

In the field of psychology, when we talk about cognitive dissonance, we are referring to psychological discomfort caused by the absence of harmony in the system of ideas, beliefs and emotions. That is, it is the sensation caused by two or more conflicting thoughts.

The term cognitive dissonance refers to an incompatible perception of two cognitions (emotions) that occur at the same time. This event can have a great influence on a person's attitudes.

This feeling can come from two ideas that contradict each other or are incompatible. It can also arise when our ideals or beliefs have nothing to do with our actions.

It is a fairly common phenomenon that can manifest itself in various ways.

Imagine, for example, that you are listening to someone whom you normally consider intelligent and rational. When that person says something incongruity Your perception of it conflicts with the ideas you previously had, thus generating cognitive dissonance.

Although this phenomenon may seem like an inconvenience, it is not one hundred percent so. It can be a chance for personal growthThat discomfort can help you see that there is a problem of mental rigidity.

Cultivating flexible thinking will help you improve your mental healthAn online psychologist can help you in this process of opening your mind.

The concept of cognitive dissonance was formulated by Leon FestingerThe American psychologist first introduced this term in 1957 in his work Cognitive dissonance theory.

Festinger's theory states that when this contradiction occurs in an appreciable way, the person automatically becomes motivated.

This motivation leads her to strive to generate new ideas and beliefs able to reduce tension. This reduction will reach the point where all of their ideas and attitudes fit together. In this way, a certain harmony will be achieved. internal coherence.

Now, the way in which cognitive dissonance is reduced can take different paths. The most notable is the change of attitude or ideas in the face of reality.

Leon Festinger's theory has been used in many fields, from motivation, group dynamics, the study of attitude change, to decision making.

When we experience tension or discomfort due to the presence of two ideas that are incompatible, we should try to delete it. Or failing that, avoid the situation that generates them and information that increases the dissonance. That is, we will try reduce cognitive dissonance that we are experiencing.

To reduce it, as we have mentioned above, you can take different paths. Can change behavior, alter the environment either add new information or knowledge. We will also realize that all of us, at some point or another, have suffered cognitive dissonance.

A very common example is when we don't go to the gym, even though it is the goal or objective of the week. That is, you pay a monthly fee, you convince yourself that you are going to go to lead a healthy life and, when the time comes, you never do it. At this point, your actions are not aligned with your thoughts.

A Longitudinal analysis of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) in 2012, noted that smokers use their own belief system to reduce their cognitive dissonance between Smoking tobacco and its negative health consequences that this entails.

Functional beliefs were obtained: “smoking calms me down when I am stressed or upset”, “smoking helps me concentrate better” or “smoking is an important part of my life”. Risk-minimizing beliefs were also obtained: “smoking is not riskier than other things people do” or “we all have to die from something”, among others.

Another study, conducted by Festinger demonstrated the existence of cognitive dissonance in the field of commerce.

The researchers asked a number of subjects to carry out a boring task. When they had finished, they divided them into three groups and asked them what they thought of it. They all agreed: it was very boring.

The subjects in the first group were told they could leave. The second group was blackmailedThey were told that there was a person outside waiting to do the experiment and that if they told him it had been entertaining, he would give them all a dollar. The same was done with the third group. However, they received $20 instead of $1, a fact that the subjects in group two were informed of.

Seven days later, Festinger called the subjects back to the experiment and asked them again how they had felt about the task. Groups 1 and 3 maintained the idea that the task had been boring.. For its part, the group 2 He assured that the task had been of the most entertaining.

This is explained because, upon realizing that they had been deceived, the members of group two minimized their discomfort by changing their way of thinking about the task they had performed.

This happens very often in the market and is justified with expressions such as “well, this will still be useful to me” or “on second thought, I need this to perform this task”.

As we have seen in the previous examples, First we act and then we justify our actionsCognitive dissonance explains the tendency that people have to self-justification.

The fact or possibility of making wrong decisions generates in us anxiety or tension. This can lead us to invent new justifications to support our actions.

The reality is that we cannot stand the existence of two Contradictory thoughts at the same time. Therefore, we are “forced” to justify this contradiction. Many times we do so even with absurd ideas or explanations.

It is worth noting that cognitive dissonance only occurs when an individual has the freedom to choose one behavior or another. In the hypothetical case that we were forced to do something we do not want, this tension does not occur. However, being forced to do something can also serve as self-justification to reduce our discomfort.

At first glance, it is a mechanism that we use to improve. So in principle it is not bad. The most important thing is to know when we use it, so Don't fall into self-deception.

We must avoid lying to ourselves using cognitive dissonance. In many cases, we tend to justify ourselves for not wanting to admit the pain we are feeling. For example, when we suffer a breakup or the loss of a loved one, we convince ourselves with “I knew this was going to happen” or “it's just life.”

In people with low self-esteem It can also be observed. This is because they are subjects who lack self-love and try to lie to themselves. In this way they hide their weaknesses and create armor, beneath which they hide what they feel.

In the end, these people end up being treated the way they show themselves, even though deep down they feel bad and misunderstood. That is why knowing how to control the mechanism of cognitive dissonance is very important. We will learn not to resort to self-deception, criticism and lies.

If you are unable to control and reduce these conflicting thoughts, seeing a psychologist can help you.

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