PSYCHOLOGY OF DECISION MAKING. . ..

Cognitive Dissonance . . .

I have always been intrigued with the term cognitive dissonance since first being introduced to it in a college psychology course. I liked the way it rolled off my tongue when trying to fit it into a sentence, or how I thought my colleagues were impressed when I referred to it, barely knowing more of what it meant than perhaps they did. I hadn’t publicly mentioned the word for some time until it came to mind when deciding the topic for this blog. All I can remember from those missed exam questions in college was that cognitive dissonance had something to do with decision making. I made the decision to do some research and learn what I merely heard in college and soon realized that cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable situation.

Dissonance refers to relations, which exist between pairs of ‘elements.’ These two elements are in dissonant relations if they do not fit together. Cognition is a person’s awareness about themselves, their behavior, or a situation. Since cognitive dissonance is a negative drive factor and an unpleasant occurrence to the mind, we are motivated to work toward reducing it by adding consonant cognitions to these elements or by changing one or both of them to make them fit together. Ready to take that college psychology course? Not yet? Maybe a real life situation will help to further explain it.

Several years ago my family and I were invited to a friend’s guesthouse on the coast of Maine. Having been there before and knowing the beauty of the setting and quality of the visit, we anxiously accepted and looked forward to the trip. The weekend before our planned departure, I was reminded by my father that there was going be a birthday dinner to celebrate my mother’s 65th birthday. The dinner and the trip fell on the exact same weekend! Cognitive Dissonance. The two elements did not fit together and it was a definite unpleasant occurrence to the mind. A decision needed to be made.

What did I start to do? Just like the theory states, I began to make changes to my perception of both of the choices to try and make them fit together. I formed the opinions; “This is an important birthday”… “Maine is a long drive for a weekend”… “Mom is a pretty special lady”… “The friends in Maine will understand”… “We can possibly go to Maine at another time”… “My father would kill me!” The process that took place in my mind over the next few days period allowed me to change my belief and feelings about the two choices and the elements could then fit together. I would attend the birthday dinner. Did it make the decision and phone call to my friend to inform him of my change in plans any easier? Absolutely not. But, what cognitive dissonance and my awareness of it did do was allow me to make a decision, and from that point I could make it right.

For those wishing to cram for a test, Leon Festinger, in 1957 was the first to expound on Cognitive Dissonance and his hypothesis states:

• The existence of Dissonance being psychologically uncomfortable will motivate the person to try to reduce the dissonance and achieve consonance.
• When Dissonance is present, in addition to trying to reduce it, the person will actively avoid situations and information which would likely increase the dissonance.

As a parent, spouse, friend or leader, Cognitive Dissonance is a powerful tool. Your awareness of it and knowledge that decisions, great or small, will be uncomfortable will help you, and in turn help others, make confident decisions. This awareness will allow you to master the art of decision making by understanding that the uncomfortable feelings will motivate you to choose. You will naturally seek consonance and take action to move from dissonance. Become cognitive of the choices you need to make today and seek the decision that will be made. . . right.

GO GET EM,
JIM