It refers to the state of intellectual/emotional discomfort. This happens when our thoughts and expectations about something are met by something different. Things that surprise, scared, or conflict us, where what we experience doesn’t match our values or believes. A clear example includes the use of rewards, salaries and benefits, commissions, and special gifts to move us to do things that require effort. The internal mental/emotional state, in most cases, move us to stay within the confines of comfort and leisure. It’s the greater need and reward that reduces dissonant cognition in our minds. Helping us rationalize and reduce tension by adding consonant cognition, and diminishing the relevance of dissonant cognition, such as our ability to delayed gratification.
This principle is also heavily used and observed in common pranks and skits. The cognitive discomfort can be used to enact our feelings of euphoria, flight and fight, and laughter.
Example From The Readings
AOL Gave customers a free 30 day trial. Customers had to endure a lengthy set up process, providing personal information such as email, passwords, etc. The cognitive dissonance at the time of trial expiration made people rationalized it was better to paid for the service they had with AOL than having to redo the set up with another company.
Example From The Web
Dramatic use of cognitive dissonance in advertising campaign against tobacco. This is not a cognitive pleasant image. It defies our core values and believes. It is shocking. It contradicts human reasoning and expectations. Hence the powerful message delivered, by the proper use of Cognitive Dissonance.
Image courtesy of: Ads of the world
Example From The World
Choosing to do a Master at this stage in my life was a decision that required overcoming a level of Cognitive Dissonance. The expected reward helped me rationalize the discomfort of applying to the program. And it’s helping me right now push through the moments of sacrifice to succeed in the program.
References
Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J. (2010). Universal principles of design, Rockport Pub. PP. 46-47.
Hi Omar and Team 4,
Kathlyn here representing Team 2.
I found your example of the ad campaign against tobacco to be on the nose in representing Cognitive Dissonance. I saw that the book also referenced the example about diamonds showing love as a Cognitive Dissonance trick in marketing. I now wonder whether Cognitive Dissonance is actually a taught marketing trick, and whether the discomfort I experience from certain ads that seem too pushy, in your face, and generally obstructive is exactly this trick. I wish I could say it doesn’t work on me, but I’m sure it does.
I also wanted to comment about the Cognitive Dissonance you had to overcome when you applied/enrolled in the MHCID program. I agree with you that this is Cognitive Dissonance because I also felt and overcame discomfort upon entering grad school, and continue to try to overcome it. I would label this Cognitive Dissonance, for me at least, as Impostor Syndrome. I don’t have any experience in UX, and being among experienced UX designers and researchers in our cohort is intimidating but also inspiring to me. I hope this feedback makes you feel less discomfort/Cognitive Dissonance, Omar!