Definitions To Help You Fill The Table 1: Cognitive Dissonan ✓ Solved

Definitions To Help You Fill The Table1 Cognitive Dissonance S

1- Cognitive Dissonance - State of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude changes. Definition in the article: “Cognitive Dissonance - the extreme discomfort of simultaneously holding two thoughts that are in conflict. Having contradicting thoughts.

2- Motivated Reasoning - is how people convince themselves or remain convinced of what they want to believe -- they seek out agreeable information and learn it more easily; and they avoid, ignore, devalue, forget, or argue against information that contradicts their beliefs.

3- Selective Exposure/Selective Learning - Selective Exposure- individuals’ tendency to favor information which reinforces their pre-existing views while avoiding contradictory information. Selective Learning- facts that confirm their worldwide views than challenge it; requires the use of the executive process of metacognitive control and working memory.

4- Particularized Trust - Trust we place in specific individuals, such as family members, friends, and acquaintances. Generalized trust has usually been paired up conceptually with particularized trust. An example of how social capital can be created as a by-product of other activities. Particularized trust is a form of trust that we specifically choose to extend to those in our community who are closest to us, such as family members or friends.

5- Information silo/filter bubble/echo chamber - Information Silo: A place where information is stored. When communication wasn’t as easy as it is today, information silos were considered geographical. The information you would be given used to be dependent on the area you lived. Today, information silos have grown to become ideological. You don’t only get information that confirms your beliefs, but you are able to share that to anybody else affecting their media as well.

6- Tribalism - tribal consciousness and loyalty especially: exaltation of the tribe above other groups.

Paper For Above Instructions

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological concept that describes the discomfort individuals feel when they hold contradictory beliefs or behaviors. This phenomenon often prompts a change in one of the opposing beliefs to reduce the inconsistency (Festinger, 1957). Specifically, cognitive dissonance occurs when external evidence contradicts personal beliefs, leading to discomfort that individuals are motivated to alleviate (Harmon-Jones & Mills, 1999).

For example, a person who smokes may experience cognitive dissonance when confronted with information about the health risks of smoking. To resolve this dissonance, they may downplay the risks, convince themselves that smoking helps reduce stress, or ultimately quit smoking (Cooper, 2007). This concept is crucial for understanding behavior change and attitude adjustment, as individuals often seek to align their beliefs with their actions.

Motivated reasoning refers to the cognitive process where individuals construct justifications for their beliefs and decisions. People often favor information that confirms their existing beliefs while rejecting contradictory evidence (Kunda, 1990). This tendency can reinforce cognitive dissonance as individuals create a biased perspective that limits their exposure to truthful, challenging information. For instance, a study found that people who support a particular political view selectively expose themselves to media that aligns with their ideology, further entrenching their beliefs (Kahneman, 2011).

Selective exposure and selective learning are closely related to motivated reasoning. Selective exposure is the tendency to seek information that aligns with one's pre-existing views and to avoid information that challenges those views (Stroud, 2008). This behavior can lead to knowledge gaps and reinforce misinformation. Selective learning, on the other hand, involves cognitive processes that prioritize information affirming one’s beliefs over those that might require a reevaluation of their views, indicating how individuals use metacognitive control and memory (Vallacher et al., 2016).

Particularized trust is an important dimension of social capital, representing the level of trust one extends to specific individuals, such as family and friends. This form of trust is distinguished from generalized trust, which refers to broader societal trust levels (Putnam, 2000). Particularized trust plays a vital role in fostering strong interpersonal relationships and community bonds. It emerges as people choose to place their trust in those closest to them, facilitating cooperation and social support within a community (Burt, 2005).

In contrast, information silos, filter bubbles, and echo chambers reflect the contemporary challenges posed by technology and social media. An information silo refers to a situation where individuals access information solely reinforcing their views, often due to algorithmic biases that prioritize familiar content over diverse perspectives (Sunstein, 2017). This phenomenon leads to fragmented information consumption, where individuals remain isolated within their ideological bubbles, potentially polarizing society.

Tribalism, defined as an intense loyalty to one’s group or identity, can be exacerbated by information silos. As individuals strive for tribal alignment, they may reject external information and adopt extreme positions, thereby undermining social cohesion (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). The clash between tribal groups can lead to societal fragmentation, where collaboration between differing viewpoints becomes increasingly challenging.

In conclusion, cognitive dissonance, motivated reasoning, selective exposure, particularized trust, and tribalism are interconnected concepts that influence individual beliefs and social behaviors. Understanding these psychological and social dynamics is crucial for fostering open dialogue, bridging divides, and promoting a more inclusive discourse in today's polarized society. By recognizing the limitations of our cognitive biases and assumptions, it becomes possible to cultivate a more comprehensive understanding of the world and its myriad complexities.

References

• Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497.
• Burt, R. S. (2005). Brokerage and Closure: An Introduction to Social Capital. Oxford University Press.
• Cooper, J. (2007). Cognitive Dissonance: Fifty Years of a Classic Theory. California State University.
• Festinger, L. (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford University Press.
• Harmon-Jones, E., & Mills, J. (1999). An Introduction to Cognitive Dissonance Theory and an Overview of Current Perspectives on the Paradigm. Cognitive Dissonance: Progress on a Pivotal Theory in Social Psychology.
• Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Kunda, Z. (1990). The Case for Motivated Reasoning. Psychological Bulletin, 108(3), 480.
• Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon & Schuster.
• Stroud, N. J. (2008). Media Use and Political Predispositions: Revisiting the Selective Exposure Hypothesis. Political Behavior, 30(3), 341-366.
• Sunstein, C. R. (2017). #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media. Princeton University Press.
• Vallacher, R. R., Nowak, A., & Latané, B. (2016). To be or not to be: Processing preferences in the social dynamics of cognitive dissonance. Psychological Review, 123(3), 275.