Discussing Cognitive Dissonance Psychology Assignment (Essay Sample)

Discussion: Cognitive Dissonance
Aronson, Wilson, and Akert (2016) describe cognitive dissonance as that discomfort feeling which arises through performing actions that are discrepant from the concept of oneself. It is a theory that was developed by a psychologist known as Leon Festinger in an attempt to explain how we maintain internal consistency with our perceptions. We continually experience discomfort due to cognitive dissonance, and in response, we make attempts to mitigate it.
From a personal experience point of view regarding cognitive dissonance, I happened to purchase a car just recently. I was to do an extensive research of the car I wanted before making the actual purchase, but unfortunately, I did not. Such research would cover various aspects such as the quality of the engine, its horsepower, and most importantly, the current market price of this car. We tend to seek consistency in the beliefs and perceptions that we have to avoid internal conflicts. So, I went ahead and purchased the car without doing research in the areas of concern. In the long run, I ended up with a feeling that I had spent too much on the car than what would seem normal. Someone would simply say that I had buyer’s remorse. As a matter of fact, I was not satisfied even with the interest rate attached to the car’s price.
I had to control my feelings and accept every outcome I experienced. So, I decided to embrace a positive thinking. After paying for the car for a couple of months, I got it refinanced which later on assisted me very much in lowering the subsequent payments to a significant amount. I felt better about the situation. From another point of thinking, the car was economical to use as it utilized less gas compared to other vehicles. Along with this is that it was environment-friendly and much safer than the other car I had.
Cognitive dissonance manifests in very strong emotions that we never want to affiliate with the conflicts that come with it. Thus, we try to seek justification for our actions to mitigate dissonance. I really wanted to have another car, but I had to readjust to the repercussions that came with the purchase due to buyer’s remorse by finding justification for my actions. One thing worth noting is that when it comes to purchasing products, we are ...