Question

Cognitive dissonance in classroom communication is the result of
1. Filtering of message
2. Student interest
3. Student-based interaction
4. Chaotic conditions

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : Chaotic conditions

• According to Festinger’s (1957) theory of cognitive dissonance, if a person holds two psychologically inconsistent cognitions, he or she will experience dissonance, that is, inconsistencies between internal beliefs and behaviour cause discomfort that drives an individual to reduce the arousal.
• Festinger goes on further to say that due to the discomfort, the individual will make a conscious effort to avoid situations that are likely to increase his or her dissonance and also seek ways to reduce it.
• Ultimately, the individual seeks to reach a state of consistency, the balance between actions and beliefs, which Festinger refers to as consonance.
• He argues that the magnitude of the dissonance determines an individual’s motivation to reduce it and restore consonance. The magnitude is determined by both the importance of the dissonance cognitions and the number or proportion of consonant or dissonant cognitions individual experiences.
• Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviours.
• This produces a feeling of discomfort leading to an alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviours to reduce the discomfort and restore balance etc. for example when people smoke (behaviour) and they know that smoking causes cancer (cognition).
• According to cognitive dissonance theory, there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions (i.e., beliefs, opinions). When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviours (dissonance), something must change to eliminate the dissonance.
• Cognitive dissonance in classroom communication is the result of Chaotic conditions.