Cognitive Dissonance free essay sample

Discusses the social psychological theory of cognitive dissonance. Identifies choice, insufficient justification, effort justification and contradictory information as the four primary causes of dissonance. From the time an individual is young, he or she is taught that if a person is good, has strong values, beliefs, and morals that life will turn out all right. Good things happen to good people. On the flipside, if a person lives a lazy and immoral life, there will be consequences. Bad things happen to bad people. Religious groups teach people that we reap what we sow. However, during tough economic times, situations may arise that lead a person to question his or her morals and values. During times of stress, a person will sometimes stray from his or her beliefs and values to reach a desired outcome. There are many stories where a person compromises his or her moral beliefs and engage in behavior that is against his or her moral character. We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive Dissonance or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Here is one of them. A woman named Mary was an unmarried mother of two children, a 10 month old son and a two year old daughter. Mary has just lost her job because of a lay off within her company due to the declining economy. Mary is feeling more stressed trying to look for work with few companies even accepting resumes. Marys electricity in the apartment has been turned off due to non-payment, and she is also two months past due on her rent. As a result from the added stress Mary is under, she considers demonstrating certain immoral behaviors to help cut her lights back on and gain extra money for her children. Mary believes that because of the added stress and the inability to provide for her children, it would be okay to break a few moral codes she abides by in order to provide for her family.