Cognitive Dissonance theory dilates on individual’s tendency to seek consistency among their cognitions i.e. beliefs and opinions (McLeod, 2008). When there is inconsistency in the beliefs and actual happenings or actions, a dissonance arises which may cause tension and a state of confusion and uneasiness. There are differences between the beliefs of a person and the acts. People believe in something other and act in an entirely different way against their beliefs or knowledge. For instance, a person knows that smoking causes cancer but he/she still does it. In order to get rid of this dissonance the individuals have to adopt various ways so as to ease out this inconsistency. They may change their beliefs. Second, they may try to improve their actions if they are convinced that their beliefs are true. Third, they try to give less weight age to their beliefs so that this state of dissonance can be avoided.
Talking in terms of communication, it can be implied from the theory that there is a continuous noise in the communication channel of the individuals themselves when they are faced with cognitive dissonance. Their mind, conscience or beliefs tend to convince them to do or not to do any particular action but their habits tend to act altogether in a different way. Thus when dissonance is arising, we can imply from this theory that the noise in the flow of communication between beliefs and actual acts causes dissonance. Also, it is an established fact that people do not welcome change in their lives very often. In sociological terms the change which needs to be adopted to bring consonance between actions and beliefs is deliberately, unconsciously avoided by an individual which produces dissonance. When a change in the belief or actions is brought by the individuals this dissonance soon decreases or a state of consonance is reached.
References
Cognitive Dissonance. (2014). Retrieved June 18, 2016, from http://simplypsychology.org/cognitive -dissonance.html
