Yes chips/ No chips

Our life is full of contradiction; we often contradict our action with our cognition. “Do what you preach” is the phrase that we constantly use to remind ourselves to behave the way we think. However how many of us are truly able to do that all the time? If contradictions exist between actions and cognition is it possible that contradiction also occurs between our own cognitions.

In 1957 Leon Festinger proposed the cognitive dissonance theory; the theory states that awareness of consonant cognitions (consistent beliefs) makes us feels good, whereas awareness of dissonant cognitions (inconsistent beliefs) makes us feel bad. In addition, the negative feelings produced by dissonant cognitions (inconsistent beliefs) act as a motivator that motivate us to do something to change our state.

He defined consonant cognitions as beliefs that are consistent with one another; they imply that the other is valid. While dissonant cognitions represent beliefs that are inconsistent with one another; they imply that the other is wrong or bad (Breckler, Olson & Wiggins, 2006).

According to Festinger dissonance was characterized to be a state of “aversive arousal” that human are motivated to reduce using the process of rationalization that involves trying to convince ourselves that our past and current actions does makes sense after all.

According to research, there are mainly 4 ways that human use to reduce cognitive dissonance.

They are:

1. Changing one of the dissonant cognitions directly,

2. Changing behavior,

3. Adding consonant cognitions and

4. Reducing or increasing importance of the cognition.

In the context of applying Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance to my life, I found that it is extremely relevant on how I deal with my cognitions about junk food and my health.

You see I love love love to eat potato chips, I think the person who invented this junk food is a genius. However I am also aware that potato chips are unhealthy food (which will eventually do something bad to my body) . Thus you see these two beliefs are inconsistent with one another. If I really love potato chips I should eat it often, but what makes me hesitate before making the move is the knowledge that they are unhealthy food.

Therefore as much as I LOVE potato chips, I opted for the first option to rationalize the inconsistency between the two beliefs and attempted to change my behavior. I totally stopped eating potato chips for at least a year or two.

However as much as I wished I could quit eating potato chips for the rest of my life, there are times where I just could stand the temptation. That is when I will adopt the third option which is to add on new consonant cognitions such as eating potato chips makes me happy (haha I know I am such a glutton), and that is when I will allow myself to indulge in the smallest bag of classic lays potato chips and feel so happy after that. Last but not least the fourth option of reducing or increasing importance of cognition also do come into the picture, especially when I am trying to tell myself to dismiss the urge to eat potato chips. I will increase the belief that potato chips is seriously damaging to my body and kiss the chips goodbye as I walk down the supermarket’s aisle.

So now you know, when you want to torture Shuang, often her some potato chips. Although you won’t be able to see but you will know that I am having a mental battle of different cognitions in my mind. I bet I run through the rationalization process in the mind at least 365 times before I can tell you my final decision.

In conclusion: Don’t offer me any chips!!!!! HAHA just kidding! I guess it is pretty amazing to realize that such a small and mundane act of life such as eating chips involves so many different factors and processes inside and outside of our head. Cheers to social psychology it must be one of the most useful topics I have ever taken in my life.