11,143
edits
Cognitive Dissonance: Difference between revisions
m
→Prediction
m (→Prediction) |
|||
| (5 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
=Prediction= | =Prediction= | ||
Because of the mass of evidence that | Because of the mass of evidence that [[List of Issues with the Message|this website]] and [[Research Sources for William Branham and His Message|others like it]] have produced, cognitive dissonance will cause an increase in the fervor of message believers. This will result in the message becoming more cult-like. Those in the message who are Christians will start to leave the message, which in turn will cause the message to become even more cultish. '''This prediction was made on December 10, 2012.''' Please note that this is a prediction and not a prophecy. | ||
=Definition= | =Definition= | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
:''But man's resourcefulness goes beyond simply protecting a belief. Suppose an individual believes something with his whole heart; suppose further that he has a commitment to this belief and he has taken irrevocable actions because of it; finally, suppose that he is presented with evidence, unequivocal and undeniable evidence, that his belief is wrong: '''what will happen?''' The individual will frequently emerge, not only unshaken but even more convinced of the truth of his beliefs than ever before. Indeed, he may even show a new fervor for convincing and converting other people to his view. <ref>Festinger, Leon; Henry W. Riecken, Stanley Schachter (1956). ''When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World.'' University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 1-59147-727-1.</ref> | :''But man's resourcefulness goes beyond simply protecting a belief. Suppose an individual believes something with his whole heart; suppose further that he has a commitment to this belief and he has taken irrevocable actions because of it; finally, suppose that he is presented with evidence, unequivocal and undeniable evidence, that his belief is wrong: '''what will happen?''' The individual will frequently emerge, not only unshaken but even more convinced of the truth of his beliefs than ever before. Indeed, he may even show a new fervor for convincing and converting other people to his view. <ref>Festinger, Leon; Henry W. Riecken, Stanley Schachter (1956). ''When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World.'' University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 1-59147-727-1.</ref> | ||
'''Cognitive dissonance''' is a term used in psychology to describe the feeling of discomfort when one is confronted with facts or information that is in conflict with a firmly held belief. In a '''state of dissonance''', people may sometimes feel "disequilibrium": '''frustration, | '''Cognitive dissonance''' is a term used in psychology to describe the feeling of discomfort when one is confronted with facts or information that is in conflict with a firmly held belief. In a '''state of dissonance''', people may sometimes feel "disequilibrium": '''frustration, unsettled, dread, guilt, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, etc.''' And this feeling isn’t just in our minds; it creates measurable physical tension which can result is us actually feeling ill. <ref>[https://therapyinanutshell.com/skill-22-cognitive-dissonance-mind-the-gap/ Cognitive Dissonance - Wikipedia]</ref> | ||
In the 1950s, Leon Festinger proposed the theory of cognitive dissonance. Festinger observed that when a person held a belief that was later disproved, the individual held the belief more strongly afterward if certain conditions were present. | In the 1950s, Leon Festinger proposed the theory of cognitive dissonance. Festinger observed that when a person held a belief that was later disproved, the individual held the belief more strongly afterward if certain conditions were present. | ||
| Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
#A belief must be held with deep conviction and it must have some relevance to action, that is, to what the believer does or how he or she behaves. | #A belief must be held with deep conviction and it must have some relevance to action, that is, to what the believer does or how he or she behaves. | ||
#The person holding the belief must have committed | #The person holding the belief must have committed themselves to it; that is, for the sake of their belief, they must have taken some important action that is difficult to undo. In general, the more important such actions are, and the more difficult they are to undo, the greater is the individual's commitment to the belief. | ||
#The belief must be sufficiently specific and sufficiently concerned with the real world so that | #The belief must be sufficiently specific and sufficiently concerned with the real world so that evidences may unequivocally refute the belief. | ||
#Such undeniable disconfirmatory evidence must occur and must be recognized by the individual holding the belief. | #Such undeniable disconfirmatory evidence must occur and must be recognized by the individual holding the belief. | ||
#The individual believer must have social support. It is unlikely that one isolated believer could withstand the kind of disconfirming evidence that has been specified. If, however, the believer is a member of a group of convinced persons who can support one another, the belief may be maintained and the believers may attempt to proselytize or persuade nonmembers that the belief is correct.<ref>Festinger, Leon; Henry W. Riecken, Stanley Schachter (1956). ''When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World.'' University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 1-59147-727-1.</ref> | #The individual believer must have social support. It is unlikely that one isolated believer could withstand the kind of disconfirming evidence that has been specified. If, however, the believer is a member of a group of convinced persons who can support one another, the belief may be maintained and the believers may attempt to proselytize or persuade nonmembers that the belief is correct.<ref>Festinger, Leon; Henry W. Riecken, Stanley Schachter (1956). ''When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World.'' University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 1-59147-727-1.</ref> | ||