This article describes how such a thing as a dissonance.What it is?In what areas it is used?
Terminology
The word comes from the Latin dissonantia, which literally translates as "dissonant sound."Dissonance - what is this term?What is its content?This term is actively used in different spheres.For example, it is often used in art, psychology, philosophy.Do you have a synonym for the word dissonance?Concepts with the same value, there are several.Here are the most common ones: the discrepancy, disagreement, conflict, discord, cacophony (the latter is synonymous with the field of music theory).In fact, this lack of harmony, a certain discomfort caused by the mismatch of existing knowledge and ideas with other new facts.Dissonance - that is, for example, in art theory?Referring to the scientific interpretation.According to the encyclopedia, the dissonance in music - it raznoboynoe sound.In this case, simultaneously sounding tones do not merge with each other.
opposites
Consonance (from the Latin consonantia - euphony) - it is quite polar dissonance definition.But together they characterize the relationship between the two pairs of "elements".They, these components, in fact, are the knowledge.Some "members" are the knowledge about his "I".Others - this information concerning the general problems of the world order.The term "knowledge" is often used in a broad sense, including, in addition, actually, information, and even opinions and beliefs, attitudes and values.Despite the fact that between these phenomena there are enough significant differences, they can be considered "the elements of knowledge."And it between their pairs can exist dissonance and consonance.
relationship types
If cognitive elements not found anywhere else, do not intersect with each other and have nothing to do with each other, such elements should be called irrelevant.For us, only interested in those items, among which may arise and there are relations consonance and dissonance.The theory of cognitive dissonance was formulated in the mid-twentieth century, Leon Festinger.According to it, two spaced-apart element will dissonance relative to one another in the event that the negation of one of them derived from the other.One can cite here an example: a man is confident that he is surrounded by only his friends, but still experiences discomfort and fear in this situation.That is, there is the presence of discordant relationships.Or another example: the man who climbed into serious debt, suddenly decides to go to an expensive trip around the world.There are also two cognitive elements are discordant with each other."Discord" between the two elements of knowledge may occur as a result of a number of different reasons.It may be the desire and expectations of human life experience or other factors.More details we consider them further.
causes of cognitive dissonance
the question "dissonance - what it is," we have already answered.Now, for the sake of completeness, it is necessary to understand the causes and factors of its occurrence.Firstly, it may result from a logical inconsistency.For example, if a person is sure that he is a year to build a sound house, but has no idea how to lay the foundation, these two elements - dissonant.Second, the cause may be cultural traditions or customs.Suppose that a man is not inferior to the tram place elderly grandmother, but is well aware that under the rules of etiquette and morals, he should do it.In this case, his knowledge of the cultural norms and the knowledge that he was doing wrong, are dissonant relationship.Although some other culture, which give way to transport the elderly is not taken, this situation is obviously not have been considered an example of relations.Third, the dissonance occurs when a personal opinion in a given situation is beyond the scope of a more generalized.For example, a citizen who considers himself a radical, to vote in elections for the candidate of liberal views.Cognitive elements on these two opinions will be dissonant.Finally, the state of cognitive dissonance may be due to previously acquired experience.Imagine a man who several times in his life fell ill after acute angina eaten ice cream.And here, once again, he did eat.He hopes not to get sick again.This is a prime example of cognitive dissonance on the basis of past experience.
degree of "mismatch"
Determine the level of dissonance will one obvious aspect.It lies in the objective characteristics of elements, among which there is "inappropriate" relationship.Assume that the two component system cognitive knowledge are dissonant with each other.Then the degree of "mismatch" will be in direct proportion to the level of importance of these elements.If the components are very significant to a particular individual, then the index will dissonance, respectively high.
Examples
Imagine a man feeding a beggar beggar fifty rubles in the underpass.In this case the person is aware that the poor are not so in need of this money.Still, he takes the money, and the dissonance that arises in this case is between two elements, is not very strong.After all, neither the first nor the second element is so essential for this person.And the second dramatically opposite example.The student, on the eve of an important test for him, it has not completely prepared.However, he is well aware that the level of knowledge on the subject did not allow him to take this test.And in this case, the degree of dissonance to the student will be much higher, because the two elements of knowledge are important to the individual.
Are there systems free from dissonant relationship?
With certainty we can assume that in our lives objectively there is no such system, which would be completely free from the presence of "non-compliance".After all, no matter what action is going to take an individual, whatever feeling he neither felt, there is always at least one minor cognitive element that comes into dissonant relationship with the component "behavioral".Here's a simple example.It would seem trivial and commonplace belief in the necessity and usefulness of an evening stroll before bedtime may have some cognitive elements that perform dissonant with that knowledge.For example, a person might think that the house waiting for him in any case, he must finish.Or he will notice that the street is going to rain, and the like.In short, any cognitive element in one system there are certainly relevant to it the other elements, so certainty is the presence, though to a small extent, but discord.
