Description:
Select, research, and write about a specific and recognized psychological topic or theory that can be observed or demonstrated in everyday life (some examples: dyslexia, self-efficacy, cognitive dissonance, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, autobiographical memory, infantile amnesia, parenting styles, childhood obesity, Rogers’ person-centered theory, Kohlberg’s stages of moral development, altruism, diathesis-stress model, etc.). It is strongly recommended that you get pre-approval from your course instructor to be certain your selection is appropriate. To complete this assessment successfully, follow these steps: 1. Research your topic or theory and collect two or more resources to inform your paper. NOTE: One of your sources must be the course textbook. A second scholarly source could be, but is not limited to, the following:
o Scholarly book. A scholarly, non-fiction book written by a prominent researcher in the field.
o Peer-reviewed journal article. Use the online CSP library databases to locate peer-reviewed journal articles that focus on the topic in some way.
o Electronic source. Select an electronic source that addresses the topic in some way. An electronic source is a scholarly website article, such as a newspaper article, published online by an organization, newspaper, media source, etc., for the purposes of sharing news or information about a specific topic. Typically, it will include a title, an author, a date, and several paragraphs of text. Hint: Use Google to search for your topic, and then search by “News”.
▪ Acceptable Sources: Psychology Today, Reuters (reuters.com), World Health Organization (who.int), Centers for Disease Control (cdc.gov), In litteris proficere volo malo diligere Jesum. Course Syllabus Page 13 of 25 American Psychological Association (apa.org), National Alliance on Mental Illness (nami.org), etc.
▪ Unacceptable Sources: Any online journal article; Reference-type sources (Wikipedia or Wikis, Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Very Well Mind, Simply Psychology, etc.).
2. Address each of the following talking points in your paper:
o Provide an overview of the topic or theory. Assume your audience does not know anything about it. Provide a description with enough detail, so that anyone may understand what you are discussing. Include psychological definitions. Support this talking point with scholarly source attribution.
o Elaborate on at least one scientific statistic, finding, or conclusion associated with the topic or theory from on a specific study. Make a direct connection to psychological research by locating and discussing a relevant scientific statistic, finding, or conclusion. Elaborate on its meaning as well as its connection to the topic or theory. Support this talking point with scholarly source attribution.
o Apply the topic or theory to real life. Come up with an example to describe and elaborate on how the topic or theory is observed or demonstrated in everyday life. Support this talking point with scholarly source attribution.
3. At the end of the paper on the next full page, include an APA-style References page for all scholarly sources that were cited and discussed within the paper
Introduction: Cognitive dissonance is a recognized psychological phenomenon that is observed in various aspects of everyday life. This paper aims to provide an overview of cognitive dissonance, discuss a scientific study related to the concept, and offer a real-life example that demonstrates how cognitive dissonance operates in everyday scenarios.
Cognitive dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort that arises when an individual holds conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. This discomfort motivates individuals to resolve the inconsistency and bring their beliefs and actions in alignment. Proposed by psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957, cognitive dissonance theory suggests that people strive for cognitive consistency to reduce the discomfort associated with conflicting cognitions. This theory has significant implications for understanding decision-making, attitude change, and behavior modification.
A study conducted by Festinger and Carlsmith in 1959, commonly known as the “$1 vs. $20” study, exemplifies cognitive dissonance in action. Participants were asked to perform a monotonous and dull task, such as turning pegs in a pegboard, for an hour. After completing the task, participants were divided into two groups. The first group was paid $1 to tell another participant that the task was enjoyable, while the second group was paid $20 to do the same.
The researchers found that participants who were paid $1 reported higher enjoyment of the task than those who were paid $20. This counterintuitive result can be explained through cognitive dissonance. Participants who were paid only $1 experienced a dissonance between their actual feelings about the task (boring) and their statement (enjoyable). To reduce this discomfort, they changed their attitudes to align with their statement, leading to a belief shift that the task was indeed enjoyable. Those paid $20 did not face the same dissonance because their external motivation (higher payment) justified their statement, causing less need for attitude change.
Cognitive dissonance is observed in various real-life scenarios. Consider the case of an individual who is aware of the harmful effects of smoking on health but continues to smoke. This person experiences cognitive dissonance due to the conflict between their knowledge and behavior. To resolve this discomfort, they might employ various strategies such as downplaying the health risks, seeking information that supports their behavior, or rationalizing that the benefits of smoking outweigh the risks. By doing so, they bring their attitude (smoking is not harmful) in line with their behavior (smoking).
Cognitive dissonance is a pervasive psychological phenomenon with significant implications for understanding human behavior and decision-making. The “$1 vs. $20” study conducted by Festinger and Carlsmith exemplifies the concept in action, showcasing how individuals are motivated to reduce cognitive discomfort by aligning conflicting beliefs and behaviors. Real-life applications of cognitive dissonance can be seen in scenarios where people rationalize or modify their attitudes to resolve conflicts between knowledge and actions. Understanding cognitive dissonance enhances our comprehension of human behavior and the intricate ways in which individuals strive for cognitive consistency in their lives.
Festinger, L., & Carlsmith, J. M. (1959). Cognitive consequences of forced compliance. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 58(2), 203-210.
Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., & Akert, R. M. (2018). Social psychology (10th ed.). Pearson.
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