Transcript Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive
Dissonance
What is it &
why does it matter?
Cognitive Dissonance
Individuals seek consistency among
cognitions (i.e. beliefs and opinions).
 Inconsistency between attitudes or
behaviours results in dissonance.
 Cognitive dissonance was first investigated
by Leon Festinger in 1957 from
observation of a cult.

Cognitive Dissonance

What affects the strength of the dissonance?
 The
number of dissonant beliefs
 The importance of the dissonant beliefs

How is the dissonance eliminated?
 Reduce
the importance of the dissonant beliefs
 Add more consonant beliefs
 Change the dissonant beliefs
Cognitive Dissonance

The investigation of the cult revealed:
 Committed
members reinterpreted the lack of
flooding by reasoning that it was because of their
faith
 Fringe members could recognise they had been
foolish and were able to put it down to experience.
Cognitive Dissonance

If someone is called upon to learn
something which contradicts what they
already think they know — particularly if
they are committed to that prior
knowledge — they are likely to resist the
new learning
Cognitive Dissonance

If learning something has been difficult,
uncomfortable, or even humiliating
enough, people are less likely to concede
that the content of what has been learned
is useless, pointless or valueless.
Where does cognitive dissonance
impact in the classroom?

Set goals using cognitive dissonance
 The
mass of glycerine has increased overnight,
nothing has been added so how can that be?

Teacher questioning to utilise the dissonance
 Leading
pupils to their own conclusions rather than
providing any information at all.

PEEL Project principals
 Opportunity
for pupils to work it out for themselves
 Pupil learning from peers
Thank you for listening
Cognitive
Dissonance
What is it &
why does it matter?