COMM 4060-Persuasion---Chapter 4-Cognitive Dissonance

I. Defined: Cognitive Dissonance, as opposed to cognitive consistency, is the imbalance of cognitions (i.e., beliefs, attitudes, etc.). Thus, we all experience cognitive dissonance after a decision and we try to reduce that dissonance to achieve balance. Dissonance is a POST-decisional phenomenon.

A. Most influence on this theory--Leon Festinger--1957

B. Main elements:

1. Consonant (consistent cognitions with one another)

2. Dissonant (inconsistent cognitions with each other)

3. Clusters act together--not a simple TWO-part theory

4. The importance of each issue also is directly related to the amount of dissonance one experiences

a. Add more consonance to the formula

(Ex: smoking makes me relax)

b. Delete dissonant cognitions

(Ex: smoking does not harm you)

c. Alter importance of the issue

(Ex: expense is a minor price to pay for...)

Or (Ex: relaxing is my main goal as a student)

Or (Ex: smoking does not matter to me)

a. Apply this to product/service purchase

(Ex: I bought the best tv OR best carpet service)

b. Virtually every decision a person makes is likely to involve at least some conflict

c. Research suggests that one-sided persuasive messages (those that only seek to change one side of the cognition-either consonant or dissonant cognitions) are generally LESS effective that two-sided persuasive messages (those that seek to change both consonant and dissonant cognitions)

d. Apply theory to a restaurant (the possible scenarios are endless--Do you have a few restaurant stories to tell?)

e. The closer the initial evaluations of the alternatives, the greater the dissonance

f. More important decisions yield more dissonance

g. There are conflicting findings about decisional importance

h. REGRET-a new aspect to the theory added in 1964--suggests there is a brief period of dissonance before the person begins to reduce dissonance

I. Possible during regret phase that the decision-maker will REVERSE his or her original choice

j. Apply automobile buying to the theory--Can you relate?

k. Forced compliance--when an individual is induced to act in a way discrepant with his/her beliefs/attitudes

m. Incentive key to forced compliance:

1)) Incentive increases--> Dissonance decreases

2)) Incentive decreases--> Dissonance increases

3)) Ideal incentive --

Issue of low-price offers--

(Ex: Wal-Mart does this a lot--One Time Special)