Skip to main content

ETHNOS_APP

Home • Search • Journals • List 0

On the motivational nature of cognitive dissonance

Dissonance as psychological discomfort

Bibliographic Data

ID6206883
AuthorsAndrew J Elliot (0000-0002-1664-6426, University of Rochester), Patricia G Devine (0000-0001-5344-472X)
Year1994
Volume67
Issue3
Pages382-394
Publication date1994-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/0022-3514.67.3.382
OpenAlexW2123716662
LanguageEN
Citations received278
References cited50

Most empirical research investigating the motivational properties of cognitive dissonance has focused on the arousal component of dissonance rather than on the psychological component explicitly delineated by L. Festinger (1957) . In 2 induced-compliance experiments, a self-report measure of affect was used to demostrate that dissonance is experienced as psychological discomfort and that this psychological discomfort is alleviated on implementation of a dissonance-reduction strategy, attitude change. Experiment 1 yielded supporting evidence for both of these propositions. Experiment 2 replicated the 1st experiment and ruled out a self-perception-based alternative explanation for the dissonance-reduction findings in Experiment 1. Results from the 2 experiments strongly support Festinger's conceptualization of cognitive dissonance as a fundamentally motivational state

Affect (linguistics) · Attitude change · Cognition · Cognitive dissonance · Conceptualization · Perception · Self-justification · Self-perception theory · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Cultural Differences and Values · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology

  • The Coevolution of Social Networks and Cognitive Dissonance

    Open Access•Roger M Whitaker, Gualtiero B Colombo et al.•IEEE Transactions on Computational…•2021

  • College women’s reflections on media representations of empowerment

    Britney G Brinkman, Aliya Khan et al.•Psychology of Popular Media Culture•2014

  • The need to believe

    Michael Inzlicht, Alexa M Tullett et al.•Religion Brain & Behavior•2011

  • Religion is the opiate of the masses (but science is the methadone)

    Jesse L Preston•Religion Brain & Behavior•2011

  • The need to believe in conflicting propositions

    Uffe Schjoedt, Joseph A Bulbulia•Religion Brain & Behavior•2011

  • Believing, belonging, meaning, and religious coping

    Roy F Baumeister, Michael Mackenzie et al.•Religion Brain & Behavior•2011

  • Motivational and neural systems of religion

    Kris A Johnson, Kathryn A Johnson et al.•Religion Brain & Behavior•2011

  • From “is” to “ought”

    Kees Van Den Bos•Religion Brain & Behavior•2011

  • Dissonance and distress

    Eddie Harmon-Jones, Cindy Harmon-Jones•Religion Brain & Behavior•2011

  • Impact of moral conviction on social networking

    Open Access•Iori Kasahara, Minoru Karasawa•Asian Journal Of Social Psychology•2025

  • They Bleed from Long-Healed Scars’

    Open Access•P Moon, Melissa Derby•Te Kaharoa•2018

  • Developing Beliefs That Are Compatible With Death

    Craig J Vickio•Death Studies•2000

  • Emotional reactions to the French colonization in Algeria

    Open Access•Virginie Bonnot, Silvia Krauth-Gruber et al.•Social Science Information•2016

  • Benefits and costs of employee boundary-spanning behavior

    Yuanmei LAN, Chaoping Li et al.•Acta Psychologica Sinica•2022

  • Saying, But Not Doing

    Open Access•Valérie Fointiat•Social Behavior and Personality…•2011

  • Got to Get You into My Life

    Ji Kyung Park, Deborah Roedder John•Journal of Consumer Research•2010

  • Been There, Done That

    Ying Zhang, Jing Xu et al.•Journal of Consumer Research•2011

  • Self-Monitoring and Susceptibility to the Influence of Self-Prophecy

    Eric R Spangenberg, David E Sprott•Journal of Consumer Research•2006

  • Electoral Choices and Core Value Change

    James A Mccann•American Journal of Political…•1997

  • The Genesis of Shame

    Open Access•J David Velleman•Philosophy & Public Affairs•2001

  • Anxious Uncertainty and Reactive Approach Motivation (RAM) for Religious, Idealistic, and Lifestyle Extremes

    Open Access•Ian Mcgregor, Mike Prentice et al.•Journal of Social Issues•2013

  • Unexpected improvement, decline, and stasis

    Jason E Plaks, Kristin Stecher•Journal of Personality and Social…•2007

  • In defense of commitment

    Open Access•Sandra L Murray, Veronica M Lamarche et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•2017

  • Pain offset reduces rumination in response to evoked anger and sadness

    Cindy Harmon-Jones, Emily Hinton et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•2019

  • What drives self-affirmation effects? On the importance of differentiating value affirmation and attribute affirmation

    Diederik A Stapel, Lonneke A J G van der Linde•Journal of Personality and Social…•2011

  • Individual differences in three aspects of evaluation

    Mengran Xu, Richard E Petty et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•2021

  • When Moral Appeals Backfire and Discourage the Adoption of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives

    Open Access•Yuanke Zhou, Wanjun Li et al.•Science Communication•2026

  • Using Cognitive Dissonance to Enhance Faculty Members' Attitudes toward Teaching Online Courses

    Open Access•Wen-Bin Chiou•Psychological Reports•2006

  • Power reduces the press of the situation

    Adam D Galinsky, Joe C Magee et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•2008

  • Persuasion and Attitude Change

    Open Access•Richard E Petty, S Christian Wheeler et al.•Handbook of Psychology, Second…•2012

  • Exploring the psychology of interest

    Paul J Silvia•Exploring the psychology of…•2006

  • Strategies for Resisting Persuasion

    Julia Zuwerink Jacks, Kimberly A Cameron•Basic and Applied Social Psychology•2003

  • Feeling and Doing

    Joseph P Forgas•Psychological Inquiry•2002

  • An integrated process model of stereotype threat effects on performance.

    Toni Schmader, Michaela Johns et al.•Psychological Review•2008

  • Attitudes and Attitude Change

    Richard E Petty, Duane T Wegener et al.•Annual Review of Psychology•1997

  • An introduction to cognitive dissonance theory and an overview of current perspectives on the theory.

    Eddie Harmon-Jones, Judson Mills•Cognitive Dissonance•2019

  • Emotional foundations of cognitive control

    Open Access•Michael Inzlicht, Bruce Bartholow et al.•Trends in Cognitive Sciences•2015

  • What motivates Chinese consumers to avoid information about the Covid-19 pandemic?

    Open Access•Shijie Song, Xinlin Yao et al.•Information Processing & Management•2021

  • Threat and Defense

    Eva Jonas, Ian Mcgregor et al.•Advances in experimental social…•2014

  • Does the uncanny valley exist? An empirical test of the relationship between eeriness and the human likeness of digitally created faces

    Open Access•Tyler J Burleigh, Tyler Burleigh et al.•Computers in Human Behavior•2013

  • The dynamics of proactivity at work

    Open Access•Adam M Grant, Susan J Ashford•Research in Organizational Behavior•2008

  • A literature review of connectedness to nature and its potential for environmental management

    Open Access•Brian Restall, Elisabeth Conrad•Journal of Environmental Management•2015

  • Cognitive Dissonance or Credibility? A Comparison of Two Theoretical Explanations for Selective Exposure to Partisan News

    Open Access•Miriam J Metzger, Ethan H Hartsell et al.•Communication Research•2020

  • Dealing with dissonance

    Open Access•April McGrath•Social and Personality Psychology…•2017

  • Understanding all inconsistency compensation as a palliative response to violated expectations

    Open Access•Travis Proulx, Michael Inzlicht et al.•Trends in Cognitive Sciences•2012

  • Cross-Cultural Code-Switching

    Andrew Molinsky•Academy of Management Review•2007

  • Biased Assimilation, Attitude Polarization, and Affect in Reactions to Stereotype-Relevant Scientific Information

    Open Access•Geoffrey D Munro, Peter H Ditto•Personality and Social Psychology…•1997

  • Unethical use of wildlife in tourism

    T P Moorhouse, Tom Moorhouse et al.•Journal of Sustainable Tourism•2017

  • Reducing consistency in human realism increases the uncanny valley effect; increasing category uncertainty does not

    Open Access•Karl F Macdorman, Debaleena Chattopadhyay•Cognition•2016

  • Dishonest Deed, Clear Conscience

    Open Access•Lisa L Shu, Francesca Gino et al.•Personality and Social Psychology…•2011

  • When Employees Do Bad Things for Good Reasons

    Elizabeth E Umphress, John Bingham et al.•Organization Science•2011

  • Attainable and Relevant Moral Exemplars Are More Effective than Extraordinary Exemplars in Promoting Voluntary Service Engagement

    Open Access•Hyemin Han, Jeongmin Kim et al.•Frontiers in Psychology•2017

  • Moral Outrage Mediates the Dampening Effect of System Justification on Support for Redistributive Social Policies

    Open Access•Cheryl J Wakslak, John T Jost et al.•Psychological Science•2007

  • Cognitive Dissonance Theory After 50 Years of Development

    Eddie Harmon-Jones, Cindy Harmon-Jones•Zeitschrift für Sozialpsychologie•2007

  • A cognitive dissonance interpretation of consistencies and inconsistencies in environmentally responsible behavior

    Open Access•John Thøgersen•Journal of Environmental Psychology•2004

  • The Self as Narrator

    Open Access•J David Velleman•Autonomy and the Challenges to…•2005

  • Qualitative exploration of the reasons for not using nutritional warnings after policy implementation in Uruguay

    Open Access•Gastón Ares, Lucía Antúnez et al.•Health Promotion International•2023

  • How Do Individuals in a Radical Echo Chamber React to Opposing Views? Evidence from a Content Analysis of Stormfront

    Open Access•J Bright, Nahema Marchal et al.•Human Communication Research•2021

  • Leadership and Information Processing

    Andreas Kastenmüller, T Greitemeyer et al.•Social Psychology•2014

  • Attitudes of Faculty Members toward Teaching Online Courses

    Open Access•Wen-Bin Chiou•Psychological Reports•2007

  • Let’s nab fake science news

    Open Access•Shirley S Ho, Tong Jee Goh et al.•Journalism•2020

  • The emergence of social cognitive neuroscience

    Kevin N Ochsner, Matthew D Lieberman•American Psychologist•2001

  • Learning From Loss After Risk

    Open Access•Samantha V Abram, A David Redish et al.•Frontiers in Psychiatry•2019

  • The Psychological Consequences of Covid-19 Outbreak Among the German Population

    Open Access•Aleksa-Carina Putinas-Neugebauer, Christine Roland-Lévy et al.•Psychological Studies•2021

  • Forced Compliance, Misattribution and Trivialization

    Open Access•Robert Vincent Joule, Marie‐Amélie Martinie et al.•Social Behavior and Personality…•2008

  • Effects of Past Transgressions in an Induced Hypocrisy Paradigm

    Valérie Fointiat•Psychological Reports•2008

  • The coevolution of beliefs and networks

    Open Access•Jasmina Arifovic, B Curtis Eaton et al.•Journal of Economic Behavior &…•2015

  • Attitudes of Faculty Members Toward Teaching Online Courses

    Wen-Bin Chiou•Psychological Reports•2007

  • The Youth Video Project

    Richard D Ager, Reginald Parquet et al.•Journal of Social Work Practice…•2008

  • Does Minimal Inconsistency Evoke Negative Affect? Report From Three Studies Using an Implicit Measure of Emotion

    Open Access•Alexandre Bran, David C Vaidis•Psychological Studies•2021

  • Using Cognitive Dissonance to Enhance Faculty Members' Attitudes Toward Teaching Online Courses

    Wen-Bin Chiou•Psychological Reports•2006

  • Resolving the Meat-Paradox

    Open Access•Brock Bastian, Steve Loughnan•Personality and Social Psychology…•2016

  • Self-Consciousness or Misattribution Effect in the Induced Hypocrisy Paradigm? Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

    Open Access•Audrey Pelt, Valérie Fointiat•Psychological Reports•2017

  • Behavioral barriers to the use of modern methods of contraception among unmarried youth and adolescents in eastern Senegal

    Open Access•Nicki Cohen, Finou Thérèse Mendy et al.•BMC Public Health•2020

  • Effects of past Transgressions in an Induced Hypocrisy Paradigm

    Open Access•Valérie Fointiat, Vincent Morisot et al.•Psychological Reports•2008

  • Powerlessness in the moral self

    DooJong Kim•Journal of Social Work Practice…•2021

  • An experimental comparison of two Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) values exercises to increase values-oriented behavior

    Open Access•Jessica Engle, Jessica L Engle et al.•Journal of Contextual Behavioral…•2018

  • Identity-protective reasoning

    Open Access•Carolina Flores•EPISTÉMÈ•2025

  • Cognition, Culture, and Charity

    Open Access•Mark Ward•Voluntas Revista Internacional de…•2014

  • Navigating value conflict

    Open Access•Rita Markauskaitė, Aušra Rūtelionė•Social Responsibility Journal•2026

  • Managerial AI Reliance in Multi-Decision Contexts

    Open Access•Jelena Cerar•Long Range Planning•2026

  • The effects of conflict type and conflict expression intensity on conflict management

    Open Access•Gergana Todorova, Kenneth T Goh et al.•International Journal of Conflict…•2022

  • Testing the waters

    Open Access•Jennifer T Perillo, Anthony D Perillo et al.•Law and Human Behavior•2021

  • Vicarious Dissonance

    Open Access•Sara Jaubert, Adrien A Fillon et al.•Personality and Social Psychology…•2026

  • Measuring model of consumer’s moral reasoning in sport marketing

    Open Access•Jasem Manouchehri, Behzad Soheili•Podium Sport Leisure and Tourism…•2021

  • Is Self-Control an “Angel” or a “Devil”? The Effect of Internet Game Disorder on Adolescent Subjective Well-Being

    Open Access•Qianqian Li, Yuanyuan Tan et al.•Cyberpsychology Behavior and…•2022

  • How Cognitive—Affective Dynamics and Inhibitory Control Diversify Pathways from Short—Video Exposure to Addiction

    Open Access•Xia Li, Guangming Tang et al.•Cyberpsychology Behavior and…•2026

  • Addiction et accès aux soins

    Open Access•Sarah El Guendi•Drogues santé et société•2025

  • Masculine Discrepancy Stress, Subjective Well-Being, and the Buffering Role of Religiosity

    Open Access•L Upenieks, Amanda C McGowan et al.•American Journal of Men s Health•2024

  • The Impact of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress on Cognitive Conflict in University Students

    Open Access•Yashasvi Walia, Rajnish Kumar Gupta et al.•Conflict Resolution Quarterly•2026

  • The “Mixed” Reality of Virtual Brand Endorsers

    Jeongmin Ham, Sitan Li et al.•Journal of Interactive Advertising•2023

  • Including Medical Footage and Emotional Content in Organ Donation Educational Videos for Latinx Viewers

    Open Access•Stephen P Wall, Patricio Castillo et al.•Health Education & Behavior•2022

  • How Political Identification and Individual Differences Influence Black Lives Matter Message Reactions

    Adrienne Muldrow, Adrienne F Muldrow et al.•Howard Journal of Communications•2025

  • Leveraging judgmental anchors and cognitive dissonance to change dating behavior expectations

    Open Access•Anna M Semanko, Verlin B Hinsz•Current Psychology•2023

  • Chinese international students and American domestic students’ intercultural communication in response to group criticism

    Open Access•Yi Zhu, Mary Bresnahan•International Journal of Conflict…•2022

  • Make No Apologies

    Open Access•John S Seiter, T Curran et al.•Health Communication•2024

  • Misremembering Brexit

    Ciara M Greene, Robert A Nash et al.•Memory•2021

  • To delay or not to delay

    Open Access•René Baston•Philosophical Psychology•2025

  • Mechanisms of Partisan News Use

    Jennifer Hoewe, Diane Jackson et al.•Journal of Broadcasting &…•2026

  • Experimental use of self-affirmation to manage self-concept threat in a simulated intrusive thought paradigm

    Edward C Wright, John H Riskind•Journal of Social and Clinical…•2024

  • The Cognitive Structure of Emotions

    Open Access•Andrew Ortony, Gerald L Clore et al.•Cognitive Structure of Emotions•1988

  • A First Course in Factor Analysis

    Andrew L Comrey, Howard B Lee•First Course in Factor Analysis•2013

  • Self-perception

    Daryl J Bem•Psychological Review•1967

  • Verbal reports as data.

    K Anders Ericsson, Herbert A Simon•Psychological Review•1980

  • Attitude and Attitude Change

    Robert B Cialdini, Richard E Petty et al.•Annual Review of Psychology•1981

  • A New Look at Dissonance Theory

    Joel Cooper, Russell H Fazio•Advances in Experimental Social…•1984

  • Using Cognitive Dissonance to Encourage Water Conservation 1

    Open Access•CHRIS ANN DICKERSON, Ruth Thibodeau et al.•Journal of Applied Social…•1992

  • The principle of congruity in the prediction of attitude change.

    Charles E Osgood, Percy H Tannenbaum•Psychological Review•1955

  • Toward an Integration of Cognitive and Motivational Perspectives on Social Inference

    Tom Pyszczynski, Jeff Greenberg•Advances in Experimental Social…•1987

  • Self-discrepancy

    E Tory Higgins•Psychological Review•1987

  • Cognitive, social, and physiological determinants of emotional state.

    Stanley Schachter, Jerome E Singer et al.•Psychological Review•1962

  • Self-Perception Theory

    Daryl J Bem•Advances in Experimental Social…•1972

  • The Psychology of Self-Affirmation

    Claude M Steele•Advances in Experimental Social…•1988

  • Telling more than we can know

    Richard E Nisbett, Timothy D Wilson•Psychological Review•1977

  • Explorations in cognitive dissonance.

    Jack W Brehm, Arthur R Cohen•1962

  • Recent Research on Selective Exposure to Information

    Dieter Frey•1986

  • A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance

    Leon Festinger, Camille Morvan et al.•A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance•2017

  • The Return of the Repressed

    Elliot Aronson•Psychological Inquiry•1992

  • Choice difficulty, dissonance, and the decision sequence1

    Open Access•Harold B Gerard•Journal of Personality•1967

  • Behaviorism and the mind

    David A Lieberman•American Psychologist•1979

  • Human Inference

    Christopher Cherniak, Richard E Nisbett et al.•The Philosophical Review•1983

  • Dissonance arousal

    Robert T Croyle, Joel Cooper•Journal of Personality and Social…•1983

  • When dissonance is reduced

    George R Goethals, Joel Cooper et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•1975

  • Dissonance and humor

    Joel Cooper, Russell H Fazio et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•1978

  • Dissonance and the pill

    Mark P Zanna, Joel Cooper•Journal of Personality and Social…•1974

  • Effect of dissonance arousal on helpfulness

    Robert F Kidd, Leonard Berkowitz•Journal of Personality and Social…•1976

  • Pills and Attitude Change

    James T Tedeschi, Gerald G Gaes et al.•The Journal of General Psychology•1986

  • A study examining the arousal properties of the forced compliance situation

    Open Access•Gerald G Gaes, Valerie Melburg et al.•Journal of Experimental Social…•1986

  • Effects of expected effort on attitude change prior to exposure

    Open Access•Robert A Wicklund, Joel Cooper et al.•Journal of Experimental Social…•1967

  • Is dissonance phenomenologically aversive

    Open Access•Mark P Zanna, E Tory Higgins et al.•Journal of Experimental Social…•1976

  • Induced-compliance attitude change

    Open Access•Frederick Rhodewalt, Ronald Comer•Journal of Experimental Social…•1979

  • The facilitating and interfering effects of cognitive dissonance on Simple and Complex paired associates learning tasks

    Open Access•Caroline K Waterman•Journal of Experimental Social…•1969

  • Attitude bolstering when behavior is inconsistent with central attitudes

    Open Access•Steven J Sherman, Larry Gorkin•Journal of Experimental Social…•1980

  • Cognitive dissonance may enhance sympathetic tonus, but attitudes are changed to reduce negative affect rather than arousal

    Open Access•Mary E Losch, John T Cacioppo•Journal of Experimental Social…•1990

  • Attitude importance and attitude change

    Open Access•Jon A Krosnick•Journal of Experimental Social…•1988

  • Dissonance motivation

    Open Access•E Tory Higgins, Frederick Rhodewalt et al.•Journal of Experimental Social…•1979

  • Self-regulation of prejudiced responses

    Margo J Monteith•Journal of Personality and Social…•1993

  • Modes of resolution of belief dilemmas

    Open Access•Robert P Abelson•Journal of Conflict Resolution•1959

  • Ego-involvement, discrepancy, source credibility, and attitude change

    Ramon J Rhine, Laurence J Severance•Journal of Personality and Social…•1970

  • General motivational effects of dissonance arousal

    Michael S Pallak, Thane S Pittman•Journal of Personality and Social…•1972

  • Patterns of appraisal and emotion related to taking an exam

    Craig A Smith, Phoebe C Ellsworth•Journal of Personality and Social…•1987

  • Some effects of consonant and dissonant attitudinal advocacy on initial attitude salience and attitude change

    David R Shaffer•Journal of Personality and Social…•1975

  • Emotion in social reflection and comparison situations

    Abraham Tesser, James E Collins•Journal of Personality and Social…•1988

  • Prejudice with and without compunction

    Patricia G Devine, Margo J Monteith et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•1991

  • Awareness and attitude change in the forced-compliance paradigm

    D R Wixon, James D Laird•Journal of Personality and Social…•1976

  • Arousal properties of dissonance manipulations

    Charles A Kiesler, Michael S Pallak•Psychological Bulletin•1976

  • The case for motivated reasoning

    Ziva Kunda•Psychological Bulletin•1990

  • Combining results of independent studies

    Robert Rosenthal•Psychological Bulletin•1978

  • On the congruity between internal states and action

    George A Quattrone•Psychological Bulletin•1985

Unique citing works278
Citations per year8,97
Citation span1995 - 2026 (32)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedYes
Citation typesNeutral: 251
Ethnos_APP • Open Source Project • MIT License • Frontend v2.0.0 • Privacy and Cookies • API Documentation: api.ethnos.app/docs • API Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17049435 • Frontend Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17050053 • cruz.rio.br • Expectantes Misericordiae