Encyclopedia of Sociology

COGNITIVE CONSISTENCY THEORIES

The theory suggests, then, that aversive conse-
quences are necessary for dissonance to occur. In
subsequent experiments, however, Aronson and
his colleagues (Aronson, Fried, and Stone 1991)
induced participants to make an educational video
advocating the use of condoms for safe sex, to be
shown in high schools. Then, the participant was
subsequently reminded of situations in which he
or she had not used condoms in the past. Accord-
ing to Cooper and Fazio, there should be no
dissonance because the participant had not pro-
duced an aversive event, but rather, a positive one
(advocating safe sex in an educational video). Ac-
cording to Aronson, however, the participant
should feel dissonance because he or she was
saying one thing and doing another (acting like a
hypocrite). Aronson predicted that if dissonance
was aroused in those hypocrites, they should be
more likely to (if given the opportunity) take more
free pamphlets and condoms at the end of the
study, as a way of regaining consistency with their
advocated position (i.e. they were making an effort
to change their behavior to be consistent with their
advocated message). Results showed that this is
precisely what occurred. Subsequent research has
demonstrated strong support for Aronson and
colleagues’ (1991) contention that the production
of aversive consequences is not necessary to create
dissonance (Harmon-Jones, Brehm, Greenberg,
Simon, and Nelson 1996).

CURRENT STATUS OF COGNITIVE

CONSISTENCY THEORIES

In the 1990s, cognitive consistency theories expe-
rienced a rebirth, primarily through renewed in-
terest in cognitive dissonance theory (Aronson
1992). With the renewed interest in motivation,
and the interaction of cognition and affect, re-
searchers are once again taking up the questions
(and there are many) left unanswered by earlier
cognitive dissonance researchers. For example,
while research has shown that dissonance evokes
(as Festinger theorized) psychological discomfort
(in comparison to physiological arousal), research-
ers know little about what occurs between the
onset of the psychological discomfort and the start
of the discomfort reduction process (Elliot and
Devine 1994). Some have called for an effort to
more fully explicate the conditions under which
dissonance occurs, and when it does not occur
(Aronson 1992), and researchers are beginning to

do just that (Shultz and Lepper 1996). Cognitive

consistency theories have been a cornerstone of

psychology for over four decades, and while they

receded into the background in the 1970s, they are

experiencing a strong resurgence of empirical and

theoretical interest.

REFERENCES

Abelson, R. P. 1983 ‘‘Whatever Became of Consistency

Theory?’’ Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 9:37–54.

———, E. Aronson, W. J. McGuire, T. M. Newcomb, M.

J. Rosenberg, and P. H. Tannenbaum (eds.) 1968

Cognitive Consistency Theories: A Sourcebook. Chicago,

Ill.: Rand McNally.

Adorno, T. W., E. Frenkel-Brunswick, D. J. Levinson,

and R. N. Sanford 1950 The Authoritarian Personality.

New York: Harper and Row.

Aronson, E. 1969 ‘‘The Theory of Cognitive Disso-

nance: A Current Perspective.’’ In L.Berkowitz, ed.,

Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 4. New

York: Academic Press.

——— 1980 ‘‘Persuasion via Self-Justification: Large

Commitments for Small Rewards.’’ In L. Festinger,

ed., Retrospections on Social Psychology. New York:

Oxford University Press.

——— 1992 ‘‘The Return of the Repressed: Dissonance

Theory Makes a Comeback.’’Psychological Inquiry 3

(4):303–311.

———, C. Fried, and J. Stone 1991 ‘‘AIDS Prevention

and Dissonance: A New Twist on an Old Theory.’’

American Journal of Public Health 81:1636–1638.

Bem, D. J. 1967 ‘‘Self-perception: An Alternative Inter-

pretation of Cognitive Dissonance Phenomena.’’ Psy-

chological Review 74 (3):183–200.

Cartwright, D., and F. Harary 1956 ‘‘Structural Balance:

A Generalization of Heider’s Theory.’’ Psychological

Review 63:277–293.

Collins, B. 1992 ‘‘Texts and Subtexts.’’ Psychological

Inquiry 3 (4):315–320.

Cooper, J., and R. H. Fazio 1984 ‘‘A New Look at

Dissonance Theory.’’ In L. Berkowitz, ed., Advances

in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 17. New York:

Academic Press.

Eagly, A. H., and S. Chaiken 1993 The Psychology of

Attitudes. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.

Elliot, A. J., and P. G. Devine 1994 ‘‘On the Motivational

Nature of Cognitive Dissonance: Dissonance as Psy-

chological Discomfort.’’ Journal of Personality and

Social Psychology 67(3):382–394.