Much of human thought and behavior isn't rational, but rationalizing. When people are cognitively dissonate, they spend a lot of time convincing themselves that they are right. 

Rational v. Rationalizing in dissonance theory

Subsequent research on cognitive dissonance has specified that the discomfort is not caused by any conflicting cognitions, but specifically by those that challenge an individual's positive self-image.

Role of Self-Image in Cognitive Dissonance

In addition to being psychologically uncomfortable, cognitive dissonance has measurable physical effects. Research has shown it can cause physiological arousal and activate specific regions of the brain associated with emotions and cognitive functioning.

Physiological and Neurological Effects of Cognitive Dissonance

The experience of cognitive dissonance is psychologically, physically, and mentally uncomfortable, which creates a strong motivation for individuals to reduce this discomfort. The primary method for reduction involves restoring harmony by aligning one's cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors. This can be accomplished through several strategies, such as altering existing cognitions to justify behavior, adding new cognitions that bridge the gap between conflicting ideas, or changing one's behavior to match their beliefs.

Motivation and Methods for Reducing Cognitive Dissonance

To alleviate the tension of cognitive dissonance, individuals can change their conflicting behavior, alter their attitudes or cognitions to create alignment, or introduce a new cognition that justifies the inconsistency.

Methods to Reduce Cognitive Dissonance

An individual strongly believes that protecting the environment is a moral duty and actively participates in local recycling programs. This person then purchases a new, large SUV with very poor fuel efficiency because they need more space for their family. Which of the following psychological experiences is this individual most likely to have as a direct result of this situation?

A state of mind that occurs when there a person holds two or more inconsistent cognitions (i.e., ideas, attitudes, beliefs, opinions, etc.) It results in an unpleasant feeling of mental discomfort and is not the product of a physiological need. This discomfort is hypothesized to be a result of our desire find reason in the world and erase absurdity. Another way at looking at it is that it occurs when our self-justifications conflict. 

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Google

The psychological and neurobiological operations by which information is processed, to build knowledge and understanding that supports decision making.

Cognition

Our behavior is largely due to factors out of our control and awareness (such as heuristics). However, when we are asked to explain our behaviors, we readily provide reasoning for it while reconstructing the event. It often stems from wanting to look good to ourselves and to others.

Self-justification

Cognition refers to the mental process of thinking. It encompasses a wide array of mental activities, including perception, knowledge acquisition, problem-solving, judgment, language, and memory.

Cognition (Thinking)

Aronson, Elliot, and Joshua Aronson. The Social Animal. Worth Publishers, Macmillan Learning, 2018.

The Social Animal

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

The flow of ideas and associations that can lead to conclusions or actions

Thought

Understanding or awareness of something or the sum total of one's understanding/awareness of all things.

Knowledge

Theories and Perspectives on Cognition

Humans (and other animals) are considered cognitive misers. This is some being that conserves mental energy by simplifying the complexity of cognition. It leads to taking mental shortcuts  (heuristics) which can bias behavior.

Cognitive Misers

Humans believe that their subjective view of reality is reality. People believe that they see things as they really are and others don't.

Naive Realism

Intelligence is a complex cognitive characteristic involving the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. It enables individuals to reason, solve problems, plan, and adapt to new situations using logic, understanding, and creativity. Numerous theories have been developed to explain its nature, such as Sternberg's triarchic theory and Gardner's proposal that intelligence comprises multiple factors. Other perspectives also emphasize the significance of emotional intelligence.

Intelligence

Diversity in a group of individuals information, knowledge, representations, mental models and heuristics. It can improve problem solving, predicting and designing.

Cognitive Diversity

The different cognitive tools an individual has - the ways they can think. People have certain talents and skills.

Cognitive Repertoire

Cognitive development refers to the changes in an individual's mental processes. This domain includes the development of learning, attention, memory, language abilities, thinking, reasoning skills, and creativity.

Cognitive Development

Different perspectives, knowledge, attention, processing abilities, skills, and talents.

Cognitive Resources

Cognitive Dissonance

A measure of analytic thinking and one's tendency to override their initial beliefs. 

Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT)

the awareness, understanding, and adjustment of one’s own thought processes 

Metacognition

Imagination refers to the capability of creating mental representations of concepts, ideas, images, sensations, perspectives, possibilities, or experiences that are not present or accessible in the immediate physical environment.

Imagination

Cognition includes the processes associated with: 
* Perception
* Knowledge
* Problem solving
* Judgment
* Language
* Memory

Components of Cognition

Social cognition refers to the ways in which individuals think about themselves and others. As a key intrapersonal topic in social psychology, it focuses on the mental processes involved in perceiving, interpreting, and remembering information about the social world.

Social Cognition

Cognition is an exceptionally complex process that serves as an essential feature of human consciousness. Despite its central role in shaping conscious awareness, many aspects of cognitive functioning occur unconsciously and are not actively experienced by the individual.

Cognition and Consciousness

Which of the following best describes cognition?

Which of the following activities is an example of cognition?

Which of the following processes is most directly related to cognition?

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of cognition?

A significant portion of the brain's cognitive activity, such as perceiving, processing, and organizing information, occurs without our conscious awareness. While we navigate our daily lives, our brains are constantly active, yet most of this underlying mental work goes unnoticed.

Unconscious Cognitive Processes

A practical example of cognition is the mental process of planning daily tasks. This involves contemplating a series of errands, such as visiting the bank, cleaners, and grocery store, and then organizing them in a logical sequence based on factors like timing and location, such as deciding whether to complete them before or after a scheduled class.

Planning Daily Errands as an Example of Cognition

Emotions and memories are powerful forces that actively shape our thoughts and subsequent behaviors. This relationship is not one-way; thoughts also create a feedback loop, influencing and modifying our emotions and memories. This reciprocal interaction highlights the deeply interconnected nature of different cognitive functions.

Reciprocal Influence Between Thoughts, Emotions, and Memories

Scientists who study cognition aim to understand how individuals integrate, organize, and utilize their conscious cognitive experiences, despite being unaware of the vast amount of unconscious work the brain continuously performs.

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