Introduction
The cognition of a person is a unique and complex process that involves multiple systems and affects the whole body. In the process of evolution, humanity managed to improve its ability to cognize the surrounding world and explain the majority of phenomena that are important for it. The desire to analyze the world and find logical explanations for occurring things is one of the fundamentals of our psyche as it ensures the stable functioning of an individual and his/her ability to think logically. However, because of the multi-dimensional character of the modern world, its sophistication, and the appearance of multiple sources of information, today, people often experience the incongruity between their visions and the real state of things. Situations of this sort might confuse a person and result in the appearance of cognitive dissonance, a unique phenomenon that affects persons at different levels.
Definition
Cognitive dissonance is not a new phenomenon is it is associated with the functioning of the person’s brain, his/her psyche, and information available at the moment. In general, the term can be determined as a unique state that occurs when an individual possesses two or more ideas or beliefs contradicting each other and resulting in the emergence of significant psychological stress (Myers & DeWall, 2018).
The fact is that people try to create logical links between values that are relevant at the moment to make them consistent and justify their actions. The appearance of two opposing ideas affecting a person at the same moment causes cognitive stress, and he/she tries to change them until the desired level of consistency is achieved (McLeod, 2018). In other words, they try to mitigate the discomfort that is caused by new information by resolving the conflict and looking for some new ways to explain the existence of two radically different views at the same time. The given phenomenon might have a severe impact on people and trigger strong responses at different levels.
Physiological Occurrences
Cognitive dissonance is a challenge to the body of a person as it affects the brain and causes some changes in its work. Thus, the recent investigations involving the use of MRI scanning prove that during the state of cognitive dissonance, specific areas in the brain become affected. These regions play a central role in avoiding aversive results, one of the basic mechanisms needed to ensure the survival of an individual (Buckley, 2015).
Additionally, the parts of the brain responsible for anger or cognitive control are also impacted during the given state (Buckley, 2015). In such a way, the investigations show that cognitive dissonance is a severe stressor for the body as it triggers multiple reactions in the brain and promotes alterations in the functioning of the body. At the same time, these responses have a positive impact on our psyche as they make us look for additional information and feel mentally healthy.
Emotional Impact
Cognitive dissonance is mainly associated with the feeling of discomfort as the ideas or values essential for a person and guiding his/her life becomes refuted and lose their importance in a moment. In such a way, confusion, disappointment, and even anger are the basic emotions that are triggered by the understanding that the previous system is destroyed and the new one should be created.
At the same time, researchers champion the idea that cognitive dissonance is also responsible for the emergence of positive emotions and the human’s ability to evolve (Pelt et al., 2018). The lack of understanding and confusion peculiar to the first phases of dissonance are replaced by the readiness to act to protect old ideas or acquire new values by accepting the provided information. This process is followed by the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment as an individual managed to resolve a serious inner conflict and preserve its functionality.
Role in the Life
The role of cognitive dissonance in the lives of human beings cannot be overestimated. It remains one of the central adoption and evolutionary mechanisms that are essential for the preservation of mental health and the ability to think logically. In the process of its evolution, society generates new knowledge and information that replace old ones to create the basis for further rise (Pelt et al., 2018). The ability to resolve the cognitive dissonance by comparing the existing values, accepting them, and shaping behaviors, is central for the survival of human beings and their constant development.
Conclusion
Altogether, cognitive dissonance is a critical state that impacts the body, brain, and emotional status of a person. It can be determined as a clash between beliefs and ideas that contradict each other and cause psychological stress. However, regardless of the feeling of discomfort and such emotions as anger or confusion associated with this phenomenon, it remains an important mechanism that is needed to help people to evolve and accept new ideas that come instead of obsolete ones. Cognitive dissonance helps to preserve mental health and solve infer conflicts that are an inevitable part of individuals’ evolution.
References
Buckley, T. (2015). What happens to the brain during cognitive dissonance? Scientific American.
McLeod, S. (2018). Cognitive dissonance. Simply Psychology.
Myers, D., & DeWall, N. (2018). Exploring psychology (11th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Pelt, A., Barbier, L., & Fointiat, V. (2018). Expressive dissonance: When emotional inconsistency arouses dissonance. International Review of Social Psychology, 31(1), 17. Web.