The client is also encouraged to change maladaptive habits and life style patterns. The model incorporates the stages of change proposed by Procahska, DiClement and Norcross (1992) and treatment principles are based on social-cognitive theories11,29,30. Rajiv a 45 year old gentleman, presented with long history of alcohol dependence. His father and maternal uncle were heavy drinkers (predispositions to drinking, social learning). Rajiv was anxious since childhood (early learning and temperamental contributions) and avoided social situations (poor coping). He started using alcohol in his college, with friends and found that drinking helped him cope with his anxiety.
Cognitive Dissonance in Social Psychology
Some studies suggest that such exposure can lower general intelligence; for example, one found a 12-point gap in full-scale IQ between exposed and unexposed middle-class adolescents (e.g., Fried, Watkinson, and Gray, 2003). In another study, the odds of having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were more than three times as great for adolescents whose mothers smoked during pregnancy compared with children of nonsmoking mothers (Pauly and Slotkin, 2008). The individual’s reactions to the lapse and their attributions (of a failure) regarding the cause of lapse determine the escalation of a lapse into a relapse.
The Addict’s Mental Gymnastics
Cognitive dissonance theory, proposed by Festinger, focuses on the discomfort felt when holding conflicting beliefs or attitudes, leading individuals to seek consistency. Cognitive dissonance suggests that addicts may modify their reasoning processes to support cognitive dissonance addiction the satisfaction of impulses. For an addict, while craving, the world is experienced in a very different way compared to the way when the craving is satisfied. Craving distorts addicts’ ability to process information in a manner that promotes drug use.
Cognitive Dissonance and Addiction Behaviors
These same regions underlie declarative memory—the memories that define an individual, without which it would be difficult to generate and maintain a concept of self (Cahill and McGaugh, 1998; Eichenbaum, 2000; Kelley, 2004; Setlow, 1997). Drugs’ capacity to act upon the substrates of declarative memory suggests that their impact on cognition is potentially extremely far-reaching. With regard to addictive behaviours Cognitive Therapy emphasizes psychoeducation and relapse prevention.
Without recognizing the powerful shifts in thinking while craving, the smoker may conclude that the relapse reflects a lack of willpower or self-confidence. To this end, specific situations can be created to provide guidance on time management and encourage individuals to rationalize the time spent on different activities. For example, gradual exposure therapy, which involves incrementally increasing an individual’s contact with the feared situation, could be used to intervene on nomophobia by helping individuals to confront their anxiety in a controlled and supportive manner.
Alternatively, they may reduce cognitive dissonance by being mindful of their values and pursuing opportunities to live those values. Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person’s behavior and beliefs do not complement each other or when they hold two contradictory beliefs. It causes a feeling of discomfort that can motivate people to try to feel better. For example, a small 2019 study notes that dissonance-based interventions may be helpful for people with eating disorders. This approach works by encouraging people to say things or role-play behaviors that contradict their beliefs about food and body image. Because it is something a person feels internally, it is not possible to physically observe dissonance.
- This study extends the traditional “cognition-emotion-behavior intention” framework by incorporating the concepts of cognitive dissonance and self-efficacy in the study of discontinuous usage intentions of pan-entertainment mobile live broadcast platform users.
- It can be difficult for those people who have never developed alcohol or drug addiction to understand the motivations and reasoning of those who have.
- Whether it is through platform or government regulation, users ultimately play an important role, and if users can consciously improve their own qualities, user management will be more effective with less effort.
- Yet, they continue to use, trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior that seems impossible to break.
- If they do not have access to a smartphone, they may feel a lack of connection to social support and social interaction, which in turn exacerbates their anxiety about being without a mobile phone.
Once a choice has been made, however, people need to find a way to reduce these feelings of discomfort. We accomplish this by justifying why our choice was the best option so we can believe that we made the right decision. The inconsistency between what people believe and how they behave motivates them to engage in actions that will help minimize feelings of discomfort. People attempt to relieve this tension in different ways, such as by rejecting, explaining away, or avoiding new information.
Fifth, some researchers have explored how affective factors, such as frustration and dissatisfaction, may impact users’ information avoidance intention, leading to discontinuous usage [36,37]. The concept of cognitive dissonance has been widely studied in the field of psychology for several decades https://ecosoberhouse.com/ [95]. However, its application in the field of information systems has been limited until recent years. Several studies have investigated the relationship between cognitive dissonance and different outcomes such as attitude change, behavior change, and consumer decision making [96,97].
- This can prompt people to adopt certain defense mechanisms when they have to confront it.
- Mindfulness, is drawn from Zen Buddhist teachings and refers to viewing things in a special way.
- Sometimes you might find yourself engaging in behaviors that are opposed to your own beliefs due to external expectations at work, school, or in a social situation.
