Explaining Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Understanding Cognitive Dissonance and How It Impacts African Americans

Explaining Cognitive Dissonance Theory ~ In my work of attempting to elucidate the effects of cognitive distortions, cognitive biases and intergenerationally transmitted trauma on the dysfunction and the counterproductive behavior of African Americans, I consistently hear the term cognitive dissonance thrown around quite liberally to explain why black people refuse to embrace facts over tradition, or even why the facts don’t seem to liberate blacks.

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What may be more interesting is my assertion that White people actually suffer from cognitive dissonance at a more intense level than blacks. I have developed this hypothesis based on the fact that white people, when confronted with the atrocious and execrable acts that their race has committed throughout history, especially with those acts committed against the Native American and the African Slave, it results in resistance, denial and inimically hostile aggression. You see, the image that most Whites project of themselves do not line up with the history of the European. While they proclaim to be God-fearing and righteous, they have executed nefarious and pestilential machinations wherever they have gone — leaving a path of utter destruction in their wake.

The belief in their superior moral and civil behavior is not supported by the facts, and the cognitive discomfort that it creates is known as cognitive dissonance.

I digress.

First, we will take a brief look at cognitive dissonance through a succinct explanation rendered by Frantz Fanon.

“Sometimes people hold a core belief that is very strong. When they are presented with evidence that works against that belief, the new evidence cannot be accepted. It would create a feeling that is extremely uncomfortable, called cognitive dissonance. And because it is so important to protect their core belief, they will rationalize, ignore, and even deny anything that doesn’t fit in with the core belief.” ~ Frantz Fanon

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What is important to point out in this explanation is the term “evidence.” The person is being presented with evidence. Let’s take a look at the word evidence as provided by Merriam-Webster:

Full Definition of “evidence”

1. 1 a :  an outward sign :  indicationb :  something that furnishes proof :  testimony; specifically :  something legally submitted to a tribunal to ascertain the truth of a matter
2. 2 :  one who bears witness; especially :  one who voluntarily confesses a crime and testifies for the prosecution against his accomplices

in evidence

1. 1 :  to be seen :  conspicuous <trim lawns … are everywhere in evidence — American Guide Series: North Carolina>
2. 2 :  as evidence

(“evidence”, 2014)

To take it a step further, we will examine the definition of the term “evidence” under the light of its scientific meaning, which is specifically more rigid.

Scientific evidence is evidence which serves to either support of counter scientific theory or hypothesis. Such evidence is expected to be empirical evidence, interpreted in accordance with scientific method (Staff, 2013).

Therefore, when Frantz Fanon says that a person is presented with evidence, he is not speaking of conjecture or opinion. He is speaking of those things that can be rigidly supported under the lens of pragmatic and empirical scrutiny — and yet — these people will rationalize and dismiss this evidence with no evidential support of their own. The comfort that this evidence creates on a cognitive level demands that they quickly dispense of it.

The Origin of Cognitive Dissonance

While I attribute Cognitive Dissonance Theory to Frantz Fanon’s early work, most of the world of Psychology attributes the presentation of this theory to Leon Festinger, who formally submitted the theory in 1957.

Basically, dissonance and consonance function as identifying mechanism in relation to existing cognitions that develop from opinions, beliefs, knowledge of the environment and knowledge of one’s own actions and feelings. When two diametric opinions or beliefs exist simultaneously, they are said to be dissonant with one another, negatively impacting psychological equilibrium (Festinger, 1956).

Some of the ways in which cognitive dissonance can be experienced include, but are not limited to guilt, anxiety, distress, frustration, anger, fear and embarrassment — and it can be particularly acute when at least one of the following is true:

• The new evidence that is presented is diametrically opposed to a belief in such contract that only one can be true — meaning the other is false.
• The idea holds a core value to the person — emphasizing importance.
• Both, the belief or idea the person holds and the new evidence are considered equally important. In other words, the person cannot simply categorize the new evidence as being true, but insignificant.
• The new evidence conflicts with the person’s beliefs.
• This dissonance is intensified when the new evidence impacts the person’s self-image. For example, a person can have a belief that creates a self-image that drives the idea that they are a good person, but the fact that they have stolen money from a friend will challenge their belief in their goodness, forcing them to rationalize why they had to steal the money.

When dissonance is present, it disrupts the person’s cognitive and psychological equilibrium, so significantly that they are forced to take action to restore it. Basically, the way that a person maintains their sanity is to ensure that their behavior and thoughts are in sync. If they hold a belief, then their actions will confirm those beliefs, and when they are not able to able to have their behavior and thoughts line up, those opposing actions or thoughts have to be rationalized in order to sustain the equilibrium necessary to remain sane. This need to maintain cognitive equilibrium is known as the principle of cognitive consistency (Festinger, 1956). The mind simply does not deal with conflicting ideas well. If a person attempts to support opposing realities, they will eventually fracture in personalities and realities — leading to even more capricious and inexplicable behavior.

To eliminate or reduce the discomfort of cognitive dissonance, the individual will do at least one of the following:

• Become creative by introducing a third idea of concept that eliminates the contradiction
• Alter the significance of either, the idea of the new evidence, and this can be done through increasing or decreasing the significance.
• Look for information that will either justify their idea or contradict the new evidence (we have all seen this one. Especially in the age of the internet, a person can find information that will support almost any idea there is, regardless if it is correct or not. And, the idea that everything found on the internet is true is rampant.)
• Completely ignore, avoid or refuse to accept the information
• Change their idea of behavior (This is rare because it is the most painful process.)

(Staff, 2010)

How Cognitive Dissonance Impacts African Americans

When examining the universal presentation of the Cognitive Dissonance Theory, it is necessary to develop a significant perspicacity of how it impacts us specifically. I have already addressed one way that it impacts Whites as a race. While blacks suffer with cognitive dissonance on multiple levels, there are certain areas in which it is proving highly detrimental. One of the most prevalent, if not the most prevalent, ways that cognitive dissonance is an issue within the black collective is within the sphere of politics, and the other is religion. Now cognitive dissonance in these areas is not exclusive to the black collective; however, the black collective is most detrimentally affected by it.

For example, no matter how much pragmatic, empirical and quantitative data is presented to many blacks concerning President Bill Clinton’s contribution to mass incarceration and other actions detrimental to the black community, he is still beloved by blacks, and his wife, who referred to young African American males as super predators during her husband’s presidency, will likely be the candidate of choice for a majority of African Americans. Additionally, despite showing blacks the pernicious machinations of westernized religions and their negative impact on the black experience, blacks still hold to their beliefs and simply dismiss facts, without examination.

Blacks in America have become engrained in a culture that functions through paradigms that are counterproductive in the quest for elevation and empowerment. The problem is that whenever these paradigms are challenged, based on evidence, the evidence is either dismissed, the bearer of the new information is attacked in an attempt to discredit them, or the person rushes to the internet to find contradictory evidence, completely disregarding the source.

Because blacks would much rather be right through standing on wrong information, we remain subjected to the pestilential machinations of those who seek our demise. It is easier for us to experience the pseudo-comfort associated with the lie, than it is to fight through the discomfort associated with the truth. The lie has no power, but it feels good. There is no functionality in the lie, but it allows for the avoidance of accountability.

For the black revolution to become a reality, blacks have to resist being guided by their emotions. Reason has to become the order of the day. Cognitive dissonance is very real, and we must develop viable strategies that allow us to overcome its grip. When we do, the surge of power facilitated through truth will be undeniably effective in delivering the liberation and elevation we seek. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace, Ph.D.