Cognitive Dissonance

This is a term I found while reading a book called "Willfull Blindness".  I would recommend the book to anyone.  Here is just one defination of cognitive dissonance: "An uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. This can cause anxiety resulting from inconsistancy between ones beliefs and actions."  This was a theory first produced by Leon Festinger in 1957.
I am trying to come up with a couple of illustrations that I can wrap my own head around.  O.K. how about when someone you believe loves you, deliberately punchs you and breaks your jaw..........kind of drastic, but the best I can do right now.  Now, I believe this person loves me and it is important to me that I be able to maintain that belief.  How does my mind reconcile the fact that this person who loves me just hurt me so bad?  Being me I would probably go right to "Well I must have deserved it".  I would know that wasn't true, but being unable to let go of the illusion of love, that I apparently need, that is possibly what I would do.  When it comes to large groups or corporations facing cognitive dissonance there is a great illustration in the book regarding Drs and radiation. In the mid 1950s a Dr and researcher, Alice Stewart, discovered that X rays done on fetus's still in the womb would later lead to a much higher incident of childhood cancers than fetus that were not X Rayed.  This was met with much resistance, not only from other Drs but parents as well.  Up until that time Xrays were considered a marvellous, life saving invention.  So, when we are so married to our ideals and ideology we are very reluctant to give them up.  Because to give them up would be admitting that perhaps we were wrong, and who the hell wants to do that.  But to move ahead as an indivual or as a society we have to do that.  I am sure that in the 15th century when it was discovered that the earth was'nt flat there were a whole bunch of people that were running around saying OMG OMG.
The conclusion being that humans are sometimes rationalizing and not always rational beings...........OMG
Afternoon Thoughts.............Back To Book

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011............3:03p.m.