Introduction
Cognitive dissonance is an internal conflict that arises in a person when conflicting beliefs clash. This dissonance causes tension; a person experiences unpleasant emotions: anxiety, anger, shame, guilt–and will seek to get rid of the discomfort in a variety of ways. The most important lessons from situations arising from cognitive conflict were the idea that conflict must be resolved through rationalization and the application of critical thinking.
Discussion
The most striking manifestation of dissonance recently was when I was standing on the street and saw two people, a solid man, and a vagrant. I had a clear idea of each of them at the time: the respectable man seemed intelligent, well-mannered, and a gentleman, while the tramp was more like the opposite of him. The nice man’s phone rings; he answers it and starts talking loudly, using a lot of foul language, spitting on the sidewalk, and completely ignoring those around him. At the same time, the tramp came up to me and, in an intelligent manner, asked me what time it was and how to get to this address.
I was surprised and discouraged by this state of affairs-opposite perceptions and beliefs had just collided in your mind. In analyzing this story, I realize that, first of all, I tried to rationalize the situation, trying to justify the behavior of a well-looking person, realizing that there are many situations that can provoke uncontrollable emotions. It became clear to me that this strategy allows people to get rid of my negative attitude toward unfamiliar passersby (Myers & DeWall, 2020). Then critical thinking started its work, which helped to understand that any person, regardless of appearance, is worthy of relying on the help of another.
Conclusion
Thus, a recent situation that caused cognitive dissonance allowed me to gain insight into what thinking strategies could solve the problem. Rationalization allows a person to find a way to explain an unpopular point of view. Critical thinking promotes deep self-reflection as well as getting rid of the existing stereotypes that caused the contradiction. The lesson from this situation was that the two strategies combined can help one overcome dissonance and find an appropriate decision.
Reference
Myers, D. G., & DeWall, N. C. (2020). Psychology. Worth Publishers.