This is when the negatives of the addiction, including guilt and shame, can dominate the decisions they make. Only when they are ready can they possibly have a chance to see the cognitive dissonance for what it is and the damage their addiction has caused. Many people need to hit personal rock bottom to see through the denial and decide that they’ve had enough. They claim that they are the exception to the rule, believing they will be able to manage their addiction or have a particularly strong constitution. Cognitive dissonance is the tension that is perceived by the conflict of a belief and an opposing desire with which the mind is faced.
Emotional Development in Childhood: 3 Theories Explained
They may rationalize their behavior or deny the severity of the problem, even when presented with evidence of its harmful effects. The psychological struggle of addictive behaviors is rooted in the impact of cognitive dissonance on the perception of addiction. Individuals may downplay or rationalize their addictive behaviors to maintain consistency with their self-image or personal values. This process allows individuals to minimize cognitive dissonance https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/you-are-not-powerless-over-alcohol-and-heres-why/ by justifying or denying the negative aspects of their addictive behaviors. Cognitive dissonance, a psychological phenomenon first identified by Leon Festinger in 1957, refers to the discomfort we experience when we hold two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously. This discomfort often leads to an array of rationalizations and justifications as individuals seek to align their internal state with their actions.
Reducing the Importance of the Conflicting Belief
This phenomenon leads individuals to rationalize their addictive behaviors and ignore any information that contradicts their beliefs. To maintain a positive self-image, individuals may align their beliefs with their actions, even in the presence of evidence pointing to harm. Furthermore, they may devise justifications for their addictive behaviors, deceiving themselves and avoiding the harsh reality of their addiction. It is crucial for specialists to comprehend the role of cognitive dissonance in addiction perception in order to effectively treat their clients. The mind works to resolve the discomfort caused by opposition between desire and need, and the individual may change their perception as a defense mechanism.
The Psychological Struggle of Addictive Behaviors
This episode of the podcast Behavioral Grooves features an interview with Dr. Kathleen Vohs on cognitive dissonance theory. Dr. Vohs discusses the topic as it relates to supporters of Former President Donald Trump justifying one of his controversial tweets in 2019. Sometimes when patients engage in a new, more constructive behavior, they can perceive dissonance simply because it is contrary to the way they used to act. Providing the space and time to understand their new behavior and justifying it can help to reduce the dissonance. Dissonance can also be experienced vicariously through people of a social group that we identify with.
Cognitive dissonance leads to the motivation to reduce the dissonance (Festinger, 1957). The stronger the discrepancy between thoughts, the greater the motivation to reduce it (Festinger, 1957). “It depends on the immediacy of the situation and whether or not there’s any way to resolve it, but sometimes, new cognitive dissonance and addiction information can lead to action,” says Dr. Prewitt. “If you believe in the power of recycling but you don’t have access to a recycling program in your community, this can cause you distress or discomfort because you have this value that’s important to you but you’re not participating in it,” says Dr. Prewitt.
Early Studies of Cognitive Dissonance
The internal discomfort and tension of cognitive dissonance could contribute to stress or unhappiness. People who experience dissonance but have no way to resolve it may also feel powerless or guilty. The effects may relate to the discomfort of the dissonance itself or the defense mechanisms a person adopts to deal with it. Read on to learn more about cognitive dissonance, including examples, signs a person might be experiencing it, causes, and how to resolve it. Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort a person feels when their behavior does not align with their values or beliefs.
- A person who cares about their health might be disturbed to learn that sitting for long periods during the day is linked to a shortened lifespan.
- This study, which is grounded in the theoretical framework of “Cognition-Emotion-Behavior intention,” develops an influencing mechanism model based on cognitive dissonance and self-efficacy.
- In the realm of romantic relationships, cognitive dissonance can play a particularly insidious role, affecting communication, trust, conflict resolution, and overall relationship satisfaction.
- However, after further thought, we may decide that it does not matter what others think of us and can thus reduce the dissonance.
- These same regions underlie declarative memory—the memories that define an individual, without which it would be difficult to generate and maintain a concept of self (Cahill and McGaugh, 1998; Eichenbaum, 2000; Kelley, 2004; Setlow, 1997).
- This study has several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results.
- For example, a recent discovery that has generated excitement in the addiction field is that smokers who suffered damage to the insula often lost their desire to smoke (Naqvi et al., 2007).
- However, its application in the field of information systems has been limited until recent years.
- Additionally, it is crucial to optimize the system and improve responsiveness to reduce internet lag, which has a negative impact on user experience.
